Protection
by 5751
Summary: The Angels were always protected. It was the job of many at first. It went down to one five years ago. And Meg knows. Rated MA for later chapters
1. Five Years Before

**A/N I don't own Burst Angel. If I did then the second season would be out.  
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I am the Demon Soldier. My name is Pheonix.

There were many of us, at the beginning. At least a hundred to each barrack. All of us answered to Sarge, a legit Genocide Angel. The original one too. She was pretty old, about fifty, but still could kick our ass any day. That is, until the people who created us added the final touch to our creation.

Being able to see the In-betweens.

From then on Sarge never seemed to be able to catch us. It was a bit on the odd side to us, for she was forever supposed to be better than us. But that's just how it was and we didn't argue. We were soldiers, after all. Whatever command said was to happen, happened. If there was a danger of that not happening we made it happen. Simple as that.

None of us foresaw the possibility of anyone finding out about our training. We based it off many different styles just for it to be impossible to ever really catch onto what we actually knew. Martial arts was a key because the grace of it was essential to defeating an In-between. They are big bulky creatures with a lot of strength and a lot of brains. Something about them freezes an Angel with fear. Hence why we were created. We have no qualms about it. It's a soldier's job after all.

In-betweens freeze everyone but us with fear, so I've noticed. And they like to take on the form of a strong, male human, mostly likely in the wrestling field or something similar. Hell, a lot of them, when not hunting for Angels, are wrestlers. It's a way to stay in control I believe. For if there isn't an Angel nearby then the In-betweens will eventually go berserk. A lot of wars have been started because of that.

To this day I believe it was an In-between that tipped off the army of the country we had our home base in. We were coming back from taking out a group of In-betweens that had formed a gang in NYC and had gone berserk when we were ambushed. Now, we are considered an army but that group of In-betweens was a bit stronger than we had anticipated and thus a good load of us was wounded in some way. Nothing to major, not to the point we would die. But those damn army folks picked off the wounded first. Cheap bastards. The rest of us, there were only five after that, we had no choice but to flee. At least we were able to get Sarge to safety.

I lost track of the years after that. The five of us; Robin, Mark, Tracy, Greg, and myself; we continued our job. There were still hundreds, if not thousands of In-betweens out there. We had no damn choice, even though the Angels had all but killed each other off. There were at least three still alive, one MIA, a super weak one, and then Maria. We heard a lot of her, given Lava had been killed off a few days after the Deciding Fight. Maria knew of us too and maybe she could tell you how many years passed.

Greg and Robin set up another base and started training orphans who agreed to it on how to be Demon Soldiers. Of course, they could never truly be one of us; the scientists who had given us our eyes were all dead. So instead we called them Demon Trained Soldiers or DT Soldiers. They never got far with it. Three years after they set up it was ambushed by In-betweens. Everyone was killed.

Mark, Tracy, and I, we kept moving from place to place to avoid such thing. There was never a place we stayed in twice, unless an In-between had. After a while it was apparent that the other two were getting it on. I wasn't bothered by it, for perhaps if they had a kid then the kid would have our eyes. Even Maria, who we only met with sparingly due to the increasing number of berserk In-betweens, seemed to notice.

Around me lay thousands of bodies, mixed in with the rubble. In-betweens, normal humans, and my two friends, Mark and Tracy. Today that missing Angel, Jo, she went against R.A.P.T. They're a different kind of breed I guess, for they're not In-betweens yet they're as disturbingly cold as them. Of course the In-betweens had to join the fight. I have to wonder what made Jo keep moving despite the fear that must have been gripping her as at least a thousand In-betweens barred down on her location.

The other day we had rescued Maria. Well more like salvaged her nearly dead body. You can shoot an Angel through the heart of few thousand times and they'll still get up and shoot you right back. And if you did manage to kill them I'm betting they would come back and haunt your sorry ass.

One of the scientist's apprentices had survived those many days ago. If I think in years I depress myself. We brought Maria to him, for lone behold it was the creators of the Angels who were in league with R.A.P.T. Last I knew she was in a coma, wrapped in a healing liquid that Rex, the scientist, had created.

I think my arm's been cut clean off, I can't feel it. But when I look it's there and I can move it. My buddy, the Jericho 941, is clutched in my hand that's shaking. From fear or exhaustion I can't tell. We're…I'm not supposed to show anything like that.

Mark and Tracy are dead. I can't cry now, Jo's still alive but only just, and I need to get her out of this hell hole to Rex. He'll be able to help her. How long it'll take I'm not sure but I know he can do it. I just wish we had found him before Greg and Robin were killed. Mark and Tracy, they would kill me if I brought them to be reborn.

I am Pheonix and I'm an Angel's last hope at every being free of the In-betweens.


	2. Present Day: Killing Each Other

**A/N Again I don't own Burst Angel**

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**Some Odd Days Later**

"Come on Jo you can do better than that!" THUNK! I sighed as I walked toward the gym. Five days ago those two woke up (from nearly killing each other…again) and all they can do right now is fight. I guess that's normal, given that's all they ever knew. But I had been trying to sleep when they started.

"Is there anything else you ever want to do?" I heard Jo grumble. She never really talks I noticed. Unless it's about some red head named Meg. I've heard her name outside, an agent of Bai-Lan's. Pretty damn handy with a gun apparently. I have yet to make the connect between her and Jo though. And Jo isn't talking about it either.

"Well besides fighting…" I facepalmed at Maria's tone. Either fighting Jo or wanting to take her. I really need to get that girl out of this place before she rapes Jo.

Jo snarled slightly and there was a rushing of wind. SMACK! I couldn't tell if Maria had sidestepped and let Jo run into a wall or if Jo had actually hit Maria. But either way I snapped my shoulders up, quickened my pace, and set my face into a frown. Back to a soldier, my fatigue and longing for a decent sleep hidden.

"Is there anything else you two know how to do?" I snapped out, walking through the door. Jo was by the wall, sitting down and glaring at Maria. Both their heads snapped toward me as I entered and the door banged shut behind me.

"We know how to eat," Maria shot back, eyes travelling over my body. I had stayed in what I normally sleep in, a tank top and knee-length shorts, coming down here. "And Jo is a champion sleeper." The other Angel bared her teeth slightly, getting up off the floor.

"Eyes front Maria!" I snapped back. The girl grinned at me as her eyes locked onto the door. If it weren't for the fact she was an Angel and I had been trained _not_ to hurt them I would have beaten her sorry ass a few times over already. And the worst part about it was that she knew my training too. Jo didn't and she seemed to hardly notice me sometimes.

"You've got a new scar," Jo mumbled, standing by her sister's side. I don't know if they are sisters but they look pretty much alike that I believed so. My brows furrowed together, wondering which of my new scars she was talking about this time. Quite honestly I don't think there's a place on me that _isn't_ scarred. "On your arm." I looked.

"Shrapnel," I answered, shoving the hunk of rock that had been blown at me into that grouping. It was just easier that way and it had been blown at me by a grenade going off. So in part it was almost correct.

"Did you just come down here to yell at us for being so loud or is it something else?" Maria asked, letting her eyes roam again. It wasn't in a suggestive way though. Jo always noticed one new scar and then Maria would look for more. I never understood how that worked out but whatever. Concern grew in her eyes as she took in the…thirteen new scars I had. For all she teases Jo about sex and all that I think Maria secretly wants to do me instead.

"For the most part it's to keep it down. Secondly, Rex couldn't tell you this himself 'cause he's busy with something, what I don't know, but try not to hurt each other too badly. He's letting me take you out tomorrow just no getting into fights out there. Apparently there's some part of you that isn't ready to start fighting opponents you're not used to yet." Silence followed my words.

I think it's been 1,826 days now since that week, when I brought both of them in. Since then it had taken another 1,095 days for them to completely heal physically and then they kept fighting each other, extending the time period they had to stay with Rex. I've had to stay too, given that two Angels in one place sure as hell attract a lot of In-betweens. They like fighting in places that have been rebuilt though, so I've had to avoid the police. Damn things. Every now and then though Sarge drops in, making my life a little more bearable with some familiarity stabilizing my exhausted mind and physically drained body.

"Try to cut down on the fighting will ya? I want to be alert for tomorrow," I ended. Leaving the two in silence I turned on my heel and walked smartly out of the room. All I ever really let them see of me was the military precision that had been drilled into my head since day one.

"I had no say in when they left recently," Rex's quiet voice hailed from the shadows. I sighed and rubbed my face as the man stepped into the light. "And I have no project going right now. They can fight other opponents too. They'd probably win."

"I know Rex but it was either that or have them race out earlier than today and get killed," I answered, letting my shoulders slump slightly. I just wanted to close my eyes and let my knees collapse so I could sleep right now. "They don't seem to get the concept of the In-betweens. Even Maria, who I've worked with before, she still thinks that she can take them on."

"It's been that bad out there?" I nodded.

"Yah. Every time I set foot out that door I'm ambushed. It was only recently that they've pulled back and it fills me with dread. But they need to get out soon otherwise they'll most likely kill each other. Plus I think seeing this Meg girl might do Jo some good." The tomboyish Angel had been quiet lately, quieter than usual. I really don't know why but my gut told me that it had something to do with being away from Meg for so long.

"I understand then. They listen to my reasons more than yours. Would you like anything to help you sleep?" Rex's voice was filled with concern. I gave him a half smile, my eyes half closed.

"I would like to say yes only my training would prevent that from helping," I answered, rolling my shoulders back. Fighting against even a killing poison would do that to you. "Drugs never seem to help, unless they're anti-infection style. Thanks anyway Rex." I patted the man's shoulder and went on my way.

My bed isn't really a bed. It's a cot. But I'm more comfortable in that than I am a bed so it doesn't bother me. Wearily I crawled under the blanket, my eyes closing even as my head went toward the pillow. Everything was rough against my skin, all like how it had been those thousands of days before, when I wasn't the only one.


	3. Ambush

_**"Fuck**_** who the hell tipped them off?" I couldn't identify the voice. It was one of the guys, they're always swearing if we're ambushed. My pistol kept firing. I was working on autopilot, protecting Sarge and my wounded comrades. What had tipped them off would be the better question. **

_** "Just keep the boss alive and we'll know!" another voice answered. It was close to me. Maybe it was me that spoke out, I couldn't tell. CLUNK! Out of bullets. I reloaded in one second flat, a bit slow for me. Blood was pouring out of the bullet hole in my shoulder. I couldn't let it heal up quite yet, not until everyone was safe and I could sleep while someone else took watch. My vision was getting blurry from the blood loss. I fought it, forcing myself to think of it as the effects of a poison. And who knows, maybe there had been poison on the bullet. **_

_** "RPG! Get down, get down!" A curse escaped my lips as I threw myself at Sarge. She was an Angel, something I had been trained to protect with my life. And at the moment she was frozen with fear. Fuck, In-betweens!**_

_** "GAH FUCK!" The curse escaped my lips as shrapnel lodged itself into my back. I barreled into Sarge, knocking her down and losing three of my wounded comrades in the process. They wouldn't hate me though. We had all been trained to protect the Angels. It was our job and they would've hated me if I stayed with them. **_

_** I smelt it before I heard or saw it. In-betweens have a unique scent, sort of like a skunk that's eaten a lot of lemons. At least, when they're in their true forms, which seem to be more bear like only a hell of a lot bigger. Snarling with rage and pain I shot upward, intent of giving this thing a piece of my pain blurred mind.**_

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**__A/N You're probably tired of hearing this so that's why I put it at the bottom. I don't own Burst Angel. However the whole Demon Soldier and In-between is mine. R&R if you'd like. **


	4. Freedom Sort Of

**A/N A bit longer this time. I don't own Burst Angel. Enjoy**

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Gasping hard I shot upward on my cot. Sweat drenched my body as my ears perceived a surprised yelp and a thump. My head shot around to the source, eyebrows rising upward as I saw it.

"What did you want Maria?" I managed to say in a strong voice. I wiped the sweat off my forehead as she picked herself up off the floor. A bruise was starting to form on her forehead and suddenly I noticed my own was smarting, beyond the memory pain tingling in my back and shoulder.

"It's the next day," she stated simply, rubbing her forehead slightly. I glanced at my watch. So it was. Apparently I had been sleeping some what decently then, to have lost track of time. "Can we go now?"

"Can I get dressed first?" I grumbled back, throwing my legs off the bed. I was still a little tired but I was a soldier. A cup of coffee would cure me…for a while.

Demon Soldiers, for the purpose of being able to protect the Angels, had a natural healing ability. However, no such thing comes without its side effects. We actually had a choice; given it was a thing the scientist created. I chose to be extremely tired afterwards. It was either that or my aging process would speed up. Of my body only though. There were…had been a few soldiers who chose the sped up aging. Though they looked like fifteen they had the minds of eight-year-olds.

There was one thing that would wake me up instantly and keep me awake. Sex. Yet I had yet to feel that spark, even once in my life, and I'm starting to doubt I ever will. Those damn In-betweens don't give me a moment's rest to form such a relationship and I was not interested in those one night stand things.

Maria huffed slightly and left the room. I was glad for it. Thirteen new scars were visible. Add in the three on my back and the one of my stomach made seventeen. It's bad enough I have her damn eyes roaming over me but any time I get anything more than fifteen scars she insists on curling up at my side. It isn't so bad sometimes, because her body heat helps to ease the stiffness of my muscles. But then there are my memories and although she hasn't ended up a bloody pulp due to my kicking and punching it's only a matter of time.

Sort of stiffly I changed clothes. My shorts came off, cargo pants came on, covering the variety of weapons I kept on my person. I switched the black tank top I wore for a gray one, throwing the button-up shirt over that, covering up yet more weapons. I did everything on autopilot, focusing more on where the Angels and Rex were at.

True to the story Rex was in his lab, working on something now. What I couldn't tell and quite honestly I didn't care. Unless it would be some miracle weapon that would wipe out all the In-betweens for me. Of course then I'd be out of a job and that wouldn't be good. Maria and Jo were in the kitchen, at least one of them eating. Probably Maria, given Jo was usually still half asleep at this hour. I still had that feeling of dread building though. The In-betweens were gearing up for something big, I knew it.

Shaking my head stubbornly I laced up my boots and snapped on my pistol belt. Leaving my shirt unbuttoned I marched my way out of my room, locking the door behind me. Maria had a knack for trying to get in and searching for my journal. Yet another thing drilled into me.

Both the Angels looked up as I walked into the kitchen, Jo picking her head up off the table. A bowl of cereal sat in front of her, untouched and going soggy. I kept my sigh inside as I headed for the coffee machine.

"If you're going to pour yourself a bowl of cereal Jo you better damn well eat it," I said quietly, not even looking up from my task. There was a grunt of annoyance behind me and a rustle. The clink of a spoon on the side of bowl told me Jo was eating. "And Maria stop staring at my ass. There's nothing there." A slight huff was what I received and the older (?) Angel went back to her own cereal. I turned around and leaned against the counter, taking the two sisters in.

Maria was wearing a sleeveless black dress that ended in ruffles at her mid-thigh. White lines skimmed down it. A few inches below the ruffles marked the start of her boots, also black and with white lines. They had a gray cuff-like top to them. A white scarf was wrapped around her neck and her signature weapon, a sword, was strapped to her right leg. Black gloves stretched themselves from her shoulders to her hands, stopping just a bit after her wrists.

Jo, I never understood her style of dress, was wearing a jacket that reminded me of the ones circus people wore, the ones who got shot out of cannons. Underneath she wore no shirt, which probably turned Maria on, given the jacket was unzipped just a bit past the tomboyish Angel's belly button. Her pants (chaps?) were also white like that, wrapped tightly around her legs. Two handguns were strapped to her left hip, one in front and one in the back. For the most part she seemed pretty unbothered by her lack of coverings. I shook my head slightly.

We had our breakfast in silence, which suited me just fine. My ears were tuned for any of the tall-tell sounds of In-betweens. There were none. It was really starting to bug me. I bit my lip and gulped down my coffee as Maria and Jo finished their cereal.

"Ready for a field trip?" I joked, placing my mug in the sink. I felt a bit more awake, given the caffeine jolt. Jo gave me a level, pointed stare, silently saying she just wanted to get out of this place and into the world again. Maria was a bit more verbal.

"We've been ready since we woke up nearly three years ago," she snorted, brushing her hand against mine as she put her bowl in the sink. I eased it back to the safety of my bubble. "Could you at least keep the jokes down to a bare minimum?" I shrugged, still searching for those sounds of an In-between. They make a particular rush of wind when they walk, the bulk of their bodies causing only the dust to stir they step so lightly. If it weren't for the bulk of their bodies I wouldn't even be able to hear their steps. Again I found nothing. My dreadful feeling increased.

"Let's just go," Jo grumbled, somewhat impatiently. I nodded, rolled my shoulders back to throw off the stiffness and headed for the door. Maria and Jo kept behind me, thankfully, for if we were ambushed it would be easier to shove them back through the door without getting hurt.

Like Maria had said it had been three years since the two had woke up. Since then they've only sparingly seen sunlight, they've had to stay inside and heal that much. While my eyes adjusted quickly to the brightness they both stood there blinking, seeming almost like little kids. I shook the thought off before I could chuckle. I didn't need Maria asking why the hell I was laughing at something so serious to them.

"Meg," Jo whispered softly, looking up at the sky. I glanced upward myself. It was blue, as always, just turning into the pre-dawn hours. I didn't mind that we had an early start, given I needed to show them how much Tokyo had changed since Jo decided to blow R.A.P.T. to pieces. At the moment it was a sort of sapphire blue, something I had never really noticed before. Maybe this Meg had sapphire blue eyes or something. I shrugged it off.

"If we run into her today it'll be kind of amazing Jo," I answered, surprising the Angel I think. She looked back down, red eyes hard and a frown on her face. She really wanted to see that red headed girl I concluded. "But we can look. I doubt she'll be up at this hour though." A flickering of a smile ghosted over Jo's lips and I had to wonder at it.

"Can we get a move on?" Maria sort of whined. It wasn't really whining but it was at the same time. Wordlessly I set out towards the city, given how Rex had his little lab out in the country. Maria followed me eagerly and I was reminded that she had been kept in the confines of the lab of which she had been created, only being let out when the scientists had thought they had an inkling of Jo's location. The tomboyish Angel followed a bit more slowly, glancing at the sky every now and then.

I marched my way to Tokyo, forcing the pace on the Angels. Not that it really should have bothered them; they could fight for hours on end provided they didn't knock each other out. By the time we got there the sun was just breaking the horizon.

Wordlessly I stopped and let them take in the city streets. Jo sort of seemed to smile as she remembered something, her eyes focusing on just one spot. Maria had her eyebrows raised as her own red eyes roamed all over.

"They sure rebuilt this place fast," she stated, kicking at a stray rock. I didn't mention the fact that it had been destroyed three times alone without Jo's help. Neither one liked me mentioning the In-betweens that much. Maria, because it reminded her of the time she had spent in the lab, surrounded only by scientists. Jo, because she didn't have a clue as to what I was talking about. And personally I didn't like it either, because I was forced to remember every last one of my comrades. But sadly In-betweens, for all their brains, don't get the concept of _rest_.

A few moments later we were racing through the streets of Tokyo, following Jo. I had no idea where she was going, but I caught up and stayed level with her. Soon Maria was on her other side. We were racing for a secluded spot or one that would be seen but not noticed. I just had that gut feeling and if anything I knew to trust my gut.

Suddenly we were stopping. We were in a small parking lot, secluded, seen but not noticed. Something must have been missing because a sort of surprised sound came from Jo. I looked at her, wondering what was going on in the Angel's head. Slowly she walked over to a certain spot, stopped, and looked back up at the sky. I shot a glance at Maria, who shrugged in response. She knew as much as I did which was basically nothing.

As we stood there I heard a far off sound of a motorcycle. Briefly it crossed my mind as to why someone would be riding a bike at this hour. Surely they would get a lot of angry messages from the police. I shrugged it off though, and walked to Jo's side.

"The trailer's supposed to be here," she mumbled, still looking at the sky. I frowned, a picture of a beat up trailer crossing my mind. The two inside, a rough-and-tough girl and a man who came across as a mechanic, had been busy fighting off R.A.P.T. agents at the time. How they had been moving at the time I wasn't sure about either. Maybe they had been friends of Jo's or something.

"Is it possible that whoever lived in it moved to another location?" I suggested gently. Jo's head snapped down to me. Both Angels were taller than me, Maria, the shorter one, by a good three inches. But I could kick their ass easily and they both knew it.

"Yah maybe." Jo went back to staring at the sky as I glanced back at Maria. Again she shrugged, though her face had a more thoughtful expression. I was missing something I guess.

For the next few hours we ran from place to likely place as Jo went to wherever this trailer might be hiding. Every time we turned up empty and by the time we had decided to stop for a coffee break Jo was starting to look frustrated. Well that and a little depressed. Her eyes were downcast but her teeth were barred in a snarl. Even Maria's suggestions about…yah, didn't get the tomboyish Angel going.

"You never know they could have had to change vehicles because R.A.P.T. knew what their trailer looked like," I suggested, sipping at my coffee. I never gulped unless rushed. Jo mumbled something I didn't catch and continued staring at nothing. Maria shot a pointed glance at me to shut up and went back to her own drink. Again I heard the faint off motorcycle, but as the city was waking up it didn't bother me so much now. Something else was though.

I had just barely caught it and that fact alone scared me. It was the skunky lemon scent again. Some where out there was an In-between, just it was hiding. My gut was sinking, saying it was a big one, and that I should get the two Angels back into the safety of Rex's lab. But that would probably kill them and quite honestly, if an In-between did show up now they _might_ grasp the concept of they _couldn't move_ because of the _fear_. Sometimes Angels are just too damn stubborn for their own good.

After that we kept wandering the streets. Every now and then I would catch the scent and the two Angels would, briefly, freeze up in fear. I don't think they connected the two though so it sort of ticked me off. They were supposed to be smarter than us…me. They were supposed to be smarter than me. 1,827 days ago there had been three of us. Now there was only me. I was the only Soldier. I still had trouble grasping that.

"We can either head back to Rex's or rent a hotel room," I suggested as the sun started going down. On and off I had also heard the motorcycle, clear and crisp in the whines of car engines. Hell even a few of those damn electric cars. Maria and Jo glanced at each other with raised eyebrows then looked at me in disbelief. I got the feeling they never wanted to see the inside of that damn place again if they could help it. "I'm going to say the hotel room is the more accepted choice."

"Duh," Maria snorted, making me feel sort of like an idiot. Without bothering to reply I started heading for a hotel that knew me well. Actually the manager did. I had never set foot in the building before.

The moon was red, I noticed dully. Sort of odd if you really think about it. That had never happened before for as long as I could remember. I shook it from my head, trying to get a grip. And that's when I noticed both Jo and Maria had disappeared on me.

"Fuck!" I hissed under my breath. By now I had their heartbeats down pat and I easily picked them out. What the hell were they doing on the roofs? Snarling with rage I ran to the nearest alleyway and began jumping up the sides of the buildings. No one gave me a second look.

Oddly I noticed they seemed to be following the sound of the motorcycle. I pushed the thought out of my mind and made my legs move faster. Damn it if an In-between found them now…

Almost as if someone had heard my thought I caught the scent of the creature. Hissing with rage I moved faster, sensing the thing below me on the streets. Jumping on the roofs would be a bad idea because there wouldn't be a building left afterwards. I pushed myself harder. I had to get to them before the In-between, I just had too. Damn it why the hell did they run off on me?

There! They had finally stopped, on top of a skyscraper. How they got up there I wasn't sure but I knew I could get up there. Just I hoped to hell that the In-between wasn't going to try and get to them at that height. Otherwise I would have R.A.P.T. after my sorry ass again.

As I jumped up to the level of the skyscrapers roof I realized I could hear the motorcycle engine beneath me. And the soft rushing of an In-between's foot falls. A snarl made itself home on my face as I landed on the rooftop with a small thump.

Jo was looking down, a sort of…well I couldn't really place the emotion on her face. It sort of seemed like relief…or maybe she was being hit by memories, her eyes were closing. I started making my way over to the two Angels as Maria groped Jo's chest and grabbed at one of her pistols. I groaned and nearly facepalmed.

Jo was starting to squirm as I walked to their level. Her teeth were barred in a snarl, for obvious reasons. Maybe I had made them stay in the lab a bit too long.

"CRREEE!" Both Angels froze in fear, Maria's hands shaking their way back to her sides. Now I snarled. In-betweens are annoying but the screeching ones are a pain and give me a headache. To make matters worse it was below us, at the foot of the skyscraper, quite close to a red head who also seemed petrified with fear.

_Meg?_ I wondered idly as I ran lightly to the edge of the building. My foot pushed off as my arm flicked. A knife, twelve inches long, was in my hand and I tucked in my limbs to go faster. That damn creature was not having Jo and Meg for dinner.

"MEG!" I heard Jo's voice yell above me. The creature had turned to the red head, now confirmed as Meg, and seemed ready to eat her. Well okay then, that wasn't going to happen either otherwise Jo would probably kill me. I heard a rushing of wind. Odd, she shouldn't have been able to move.

"Hey dip shit! Head's up!" I yelled out, throwing my feet in front of me. The creature looked up as I landed on its neck, straddling it, and driving my knife into one of the black, soulless eyes.

"CRREEE!" I winced as the sharp tone hit my ear. If my eardrum didn't burst from that it would be a damn miracle. The creature whipped its head around, throwing me off. Instinctively I twisted so as to land on my feet.

Jo was also on the ground, having just landed. The pavement was cracked under her feet. A rush of black and Maria was also there, also with cracked pavement. Meg was frozen in…well it wasn't fear, she was looking at Jo. Disbelief maybe?

"Jo?" I heard her whisper. The creature was still in pain though and its clawed hands were whipping back and forth. I swore as its head snapped around to the red head and surged upward, drawing another knife. That's when I noticed that its other eye was already gone.

"Oh you're back! I thought you was scared I was going to turn you into fried chicken!" I snarled, running forward. The head snapped around and its nostrils flared. I barred my teeth in a savage grin. "Yah that's right I'm still kicking! Come at me!"

"CRREEE!" The creature charged at me. Screeching In-betweens have the minds of animals. They can't hold conversations like the others. This one would be easy to fool, so long as I didn't make too much noise. They didn't have that much smarts so they weren't able to pick up a heartbeat and use that to locate an enemy. Even blinded and my enemy hardly daring to breath I could kill them just by that one sound you can't mask. Your own beating heart.

I ducked under the claws and did a rocker slide underneath the creature's body, drawing my knife along its stomach. You know, when the guitarist slides on his knees, playing the instrument in his hands? Yah, the dubbed rocker slide. Sickly yellow blood rained down on me, drenching my body and clogging my senses with the skunky lemon scent. Damn it all I hated this scent on my clothes!

"CRREEE!" The creature's knees collapsed, cracking the pavement…again. Briefly I glanced toward the two Angels. They were frozen in fear, whatever had driven them before gone. Good. Maybe now they would get the picture.

I turned around as the frantic breathing of the creature stopped. It was completely still, blood still dribbling from the two wounds I had inflicted on it. Screechers are the easiest of In-betweens. My feet moved me forward cautiously.

"Fuck!" The swear tore itself from my lips as I reeled back in pain. Some Screechers can play dead and even stop their damn heartbeat but only if wounded enough to be dead. This one obviously was trying to get one last dig in. Its claws had ripped my skin open in three long lines from my left shoulder to my right hip. Snarling I pulled out my Jericho.

"CRREEE!" I barred my teeth at the desperate tone. It reminded me of screams from…

"Go to hell!" I fired, the shot echoing in my ears. The bullet pierced the flesh and made itself home in the creature's brain. Now it would be dead and no sneak attacks. I was breathing heavily and red blood was mixing with the yellow blood. I sort of staggered forward and retrieved my knife.

"W-What?" a voice asked hesitantly. I glanced over my shoulder, wiping off the blood from my two knives. They disappeared back into their respective holsters as I checked my Jericho.

"An In-between," I answered, turning around completely. My voice sounded tired and my eyes were threating to close. But I needed to give the two Angels a piece of my mind first. Emerald green flickered to the two white haired girls. "Now do you get it?" My voice was soft but annoyed. "They can _kill_ you. They _freeze_ you with_ fear_. It doesn't matter how, it doesn't matter when. In-betweens were designed to do one thing. _Kill Angels_." My knees gave way as my eyes rolled back into my head. There was a clatter as my Jericho hit the pavement before I lost all my senses completely.


	5. Snakes

_** "Sargent P!" I jolted out of my daze. For some reason my head stung sharply, like someone had hit me. Who the hell had called me? I winced slightly, looking around while rubbing my head.**_

_** "Sargent P!" Not one of the ten put under my command were in sight. One of them was calling to me, a desperate tone in their voice. The ten were troublemakers and the eleven of us had been put into a survival exercise in hopes of them straightening up their act. **_

_** "Sargent P!" I jumped to my feet and started running for the voice. Jake, I could easily recognize that high pitched whine. He wasn't really a troublemaker more like got dragged into trouble by the others. A snarl formed on my lips. What the hell had they gotten themselves into this time? And why the hell did my head hurt so bad?**_

_** I stopped short. My ten men were writhing in a pit full of…snakes. Water moccasins. The ground beneath them was literally one moving, squirming black mass of snake bodies. I nearly threw up.**_

_** "Sargent P!" Jake's voice knocked me out of shock. Roaring with rage I pulled out my two long knives, almost short swords, and dove in. I could have shot my way in but once a bullet left that chamber I couldn't control where it went. With a blade I could make the tip come within a microscopic hair length of my men and still not harm them. **_

_** Snake bites registered themselves in my brain. One had even bit my ear. My mouth was constantly open in a roar as I hacked my way through the reptiles. Every time I managed to get to one of my men I grabbed him by the scruff of the neck and threw him clear. I didn't even know if they were alive or not at that point. **_

_** My vision was starting to blur and my limbs were feeling heavy as I grabbed the last man. He was already dead; I knew that instantly from the coldness of his skin. Either way I threw his body towards the rest. A troublemaker yes but he had been a soldier. **_

_** The snakes were all dead as I waded my way back to my men. Nine were dead. I blinked slowly, fighting the poison of the snakes. Jake was still alive.**_

_** "Sargent I'm so sorry," the man coughed out. He looked like a man but his mind belonged to a fifteen-year-old. Tears filled his hazel eyes as I took in the thirteen snake bites. He would survive…with a little help from anti-venom that is. "They made me…"**_

_** "Shut it Private you ain't dead yet," I snarled, pulling out the vial. I jabbed the needle into his skin, hoping that it would help. No, it would help. I just had to believe it and then he would believe and then the damn liquid would help. **_

_** "Ah what about you?" I bit my tongue. True I had at least fifteen bites but hell, I could manage. It was a poison, simple as that. One simple little fact and I could quite easily resist the effects. Or I should have, if my head wasn't pounding from an earlier attack (?). **_

_** "Don't you be worrying your damn head over me Private. Just think about yourself here." The man's eyes started to close and his breath was becoming ragged. "Private! Fuck Private stay with me! You're gonna live even if I have to drag your sorry ass back myself! Damn it Private stay with me!"**_

* * *

_****_**A/N I don't own Burst Angel and I don't like snakes. **


	6. Okay Who Hit Meg?

**A/N I don't own Burst Angel and don't kill me for the way I wrote Maria to act. Or how I wrote Jo's actions. That's explained later.**

* * *

SMACK! I shot upward, gasping hard once more. Why the hell did I always wake up covered in sweat? There was a commotion going on around me. Or had it been caused by me?

"Everyone calm the fuck down!" a voice roared out as the panic reached its peak. By now I had taken in both Angels and that red headed girl, Meg. Her cheek was turning red from something. Maybe that was the smack? My ear was tingling. "Gosh damn can't even get a damn thought inside my head! Corporal! What the hell happened?" Good old Sarge. She liked to arrive when I need a kick in the ass the most.

"A Screecher appeared ma'am!" I shot back, my body snapping to attention even though I was sitting on a bed. We were in a white room, a hospital room most likely. There were a bunch of machines, one beeping in time with my heart beat. The pitch was rather annoying.

"And were you with the Angels at the time it appeared?"

"Just arriving ma'am!" I kept my eyes locked onto the far wall as Sarge shoved her face into mine.

"Now why the hell weren't you at their side Corporal?" I hated it when she spoke softly. It was even worse than when she yelled. If she was yelling at you then you were going to be alright. If not…your ass was screwed. "Do you think you'll have a second chance if an In-between gets either one of those two? Do you Corporal?" I opened my mouth.

"It wasn't her fault!" Everyone froze at Maria's sharp and angry voice. I didn't dare even look at her with Sarge so close. My old Sarge, with her graying blonde hair and age wrinkled face, turned to Maria. Angel verses Angel in a yelling match. Oh this was a great way to wake up.

"What the hell do you mean girl?" Sarge snarled, stalking over to Maria. The girl snarled right back, something I would never even dream of doing. "Her job is to protect any and every Angel even at the cost of her own life. So how the hell is it not her fault?"

"Jo spotted Meg riding on that motorcycle, which by the way I think is totally hot." Jo wrapped her arms around Meg protectively and shot a level gaze at Maria. I wanted to facepalm but with Sarge in the same room I didn't dare. "So she went chasing after her. I went chasing after Jo because someone needed to keep her from destroying Tokyo again while trying to get Meg." I bit my tongue as Jo's level gaze added a teeth bar. "Quite honestly it wasn't even a second afterwards that Pheonix started chasing us. Just I wasn't quite interested in getting myself killed by getting between Jo and Meg." Sarge had put her hands on her hips and pursed her lips. I knew the look well and waited.

"So you're telling me that you and Jo gave her the slip, if only briefly?" the woman finally said. I forced away my wince. This was going to backfire. Maria smiled slightly.

"We had been locked in that lab for three conscious years. And over those years it's to my belief that Pheonix was fighting off In-betweens practically 24/7." My mouth was starting to drop open as Sarge's eyebrows rose upward. "Hell there wasn't a time when I saw her without a new scar added to the collection she already had. So, in reality, if you're going to yell at someone, yell at Meg."

"Over my dead body," Jo muttered darkly, pulling the red head closer. I had been right; it was the time period away from Meg that had made the short haired Angel so quiet. Of course, she never really talked much to begin with. Sarge was thinking again.

"Close your mouth Corporal," she ordered softly. My jaw snapped itself shut as I became aware of a faint scratchy feeling running along my wounds. It was rather uncomfortable, like a rash. "And you." Sarge glared at Maria. "Well said." Maria smirked with confidence.

"Permission to speak freely ma'am?" I asked suddenly, quite on instinct. Sarge turned to me with raised eyebrows.

"Permission granted Corporal." I desperately fought the urge to just take a knife to my wounds.

"Who the fuck put stiches in my body?" Yelling it out made me feel better. I heal naturally, but only if the wounds are left alone. Ones like these would have taken an hour at the most. I had no idea as to how long I had been out. Sarge's eyebrows shot upward, disappearing behind her bangs.

"That explains why you've been out for three days." I felt my eyes pop. Three days? The last time I had been out that long…

My ear tingled faintly as I forced the memory away. Now would not be a good time to panic. Sarge handed me a knife as she ushered everyone out the door. In a few moments time I was left alone and was already peeling off my tank.

To make matters worse there were bandages wrapped around my torso. Groaning I drew the knife lightly along my side, not wanting to bother with unwrapping myself. A sigh of relief escaped my lips as the white material fell away.

The skin around my wounds was angry and red. I snarled in disgust as I put the knife to the first stich. Stupid, stupid people. Stiches didn't help me they only hurt me more.

With every stich that was cut away the itchy feeling was reduced and the skin around my wounds started to look more normal. Three of the screecher's claws had got me. So three hours was how long it should have taken. These would defiantly scar. Sometimes, if the wound was small enough and there wasn't any poison, there wouldn't be a scar afterwards. Or it just got lost in the millions of scars decorating my body so I couldn't see it.

Sighing I put the knife down. The last stich was out and the thread gone too. I pulled back on my tank, knowing that my healing ability would prevent any lint from getting into my skin. Gently I eased myself back onto the bed, looking at the ceiling.

"I'm not going to die Maria," I called softly. There was a small gasp from the other side of the door and then it opened. I didn't even bother to look as the Angel slipped into the room. She acts a little differently when it's just me around. It was only recently that she started showing concern for me around Jo. But when it's just the two of us Maria is like a little kid that needs to be comforted and loved. The comfort I could do. Love I had never received in my life so that was an odd subject.

"You were out for three days though," she said softly, stopping by my bedside. My eyes flickered toward her as I yawned.

"Someone put stiches in." Instinctively I moved over a little, nodding to the spot beside me. Maria all but jumped in beside me. Her head snuggled into my shoulder as her legs curled slightly so our feet were level.

"Aren't those supposed to help?"

"For a normal human and even you. Demon Soldiers have a sped up healing ability with one of two side effects, depending on what we wanted."

"What's yours then?" I gave a sort of half hearted smile. A real smile had not made its way onto my face since…

Again my ear tingled. I really needed to stop thinking about my past otherwise I might beat Maria to a bloody pulp in my sleep.

"Being extremely tired for about a day or two afterwards," I mumbled tiredly. My eyes were starting to close as I wiggled my arm from between my body and Maria's. She squirmed slightly to give me a little working room. "And when I'm actually healing it's not a good idea to try and wake me. It'll disrupt the process and I'll be left with a half healed wound that'll heal like a normal human's until I go out and get myself hurt again." Maria snuggled back closer to me as my hand rested on her hip. I couldn't quite tell if this was for comfort or in the loving way but whatever.

"So how long will this take?" Her hand brushed gently over my wounds, under shirt. I mumbled something even I couldn't understand and the fingers beat a hasty retreat to a non-wounded area of my body.

"Three hours at the most." My eyes closed as her fingers started creeping toward my wounds again.


	7. Teamwork

**A/N I don't own Burst Angel**

* * *

"This is entertaining," I mumbled, looking through the glass into the gym. Meg stood at my side, also watching, but with narrowed eyes. I yawned. "Never thought I would see Sarge berating someone so badly again."

"Again?" Meg asked, voice questioning but eyes not on me. We were watching the attempts of Jo and Maria beat Sarge in a fight with only the skill of their bodies. I think Sarge was cheating though. She was flying just out of range.

Yes my old Sarge had wings. During her own creation some how bird DNA got mixed in and thus she got wings (along with a taste for worms). That was how the Angels were dubbed that. Because of the wings on Sarge's back.

"Mmm. There had been a few troublemakers whom she liked to pick on." I rubbed my ear, two points stinging sharply. In a rare moment of brilliance Maria ran at Jo who threw the shorter Angel into the air. They didn't like working with each other much.

"And where are they now?" Sarge was howling with laughter as she flew higher. Maria snarled at the woman as her accent reached its peak, just short now.

"Dead." Meg made a sort of 'sorry-for-your-loss' noise in the back of her throat, watching as Maria landed and instant start berating Jo for not throwing her high enough. The tomboyish Angel looked about ready to fall asleep.

"They truly are one-man armies," I muttered under my breath, shaking my head. My introduction to the Angels had gone a little like this:

"_**Today you're going to be meeting the group you're supposed to protect with your life," Sarge said to those assembled. This was a great honor and at the moment I couldn't enjoy it. "The Genocide Angels. They're different from me but the scientists think we're the same. Like you I know the value of teamwork built over hours of back breaking work. Like you I work better in a team but can fight on my own. These girls, these Angels, they have been fighting since the moment they woke up. That's all they've ever known. And they've had to fight only for their own survival. They're legit one-man armies. It's unknown if even you, a Demon Soldier, can match off against a Genocide Angel."**_

"_**But Sarge," a voice called out. Ralph, a bit slow of a boy. "We've been trained to protect them. If we were to match off against them wouldn't we have to kill them?" Ripples of amusement. I sat in stony silence.**_

"What makes you say that?" Meg asked, turning her head to look at me. Beyond the glass Sarge was adding further insult to injury. She had finally landed and kept easily evading both Maria's and Jo's attacks, a cheeky grin on her face. Jo looked bored (was there ever a time she hadn't?) and Maria looked pissed. I nodded toward the fight.

"They're both attacking Sarge," I stated as Meg turned to look. "Both have the same intent in mind, at least so I assume. But they act alone in their attack. See if they would work together, with one behind and the other in front of Sarge, they might stand a better chance."

"Do you even know of what they went through to have the skill they have?" Meg's voice held a touch of anger. I had to yawn again before I answered.

"Yes. I spent a month in that same situation. Not that either one of those two would remember it." Meg turned back to me, eyebrows raised. I chuckled quietly as Sarge flipped onto her hands and danced circles around her younger counterparts. "In-betweens showed up. At that point the scientists didn't want the Angels to know fear and so the incident was erased from their memory."

"You're a Demon Solider." My eyes flickered toward Meg in surprise. I was pretty sure no one knew that term outside of those involved. But maybe she had known Sarge before now.

"I am," I answered, a little warily. This was a new and unwelcome situation, that someone might know of my training. That ambush flashed briefly in my mind. No, Meg was probably around my own age. And I would remember seeing a red head hanging about, especially in _that _country. She couldn't be part of it.

"You can protect Jo and Maria from the In-betweens."

"It's what I was trained and made for."

"Can you teach me?" I blinked slowly in shock, staring the taller girl directly in the eye. She was dead serious and I forced away my wince. Slowly I shook my head.

"You'll never be a Demon Soldier," I said quietly, promoting a small angered noise from the red head. I held up a hand to forestall any arguments. "At least, not to the degree I am. I was created for the job from my birth. There is only one thing that can be replicated as far as qualifying to be a Soldier goes."

"Such as?" Meg sounded irritated.

"The ability to see the In-betweens," I said softly, jabbing at my eyes. Slowly I let them whirl through the range of colors they could be. I kept them at emerald green normally though, as it had been my original eye color. Meg gasped softly as her own eyes got wide. "Seeing the creature in its true form is what destroys the fear they emit. Because In-betweens, for all their smarts, are deathly afraid of someone seeing their true form. Their fear of that negates the fear they emit. Tell me, what did you see before?"

"A sort of giant bird that looked ugly." I nodded. Screechers liked that look.

"All In-betweens, in reality, look the same. They take the form of a bear only a hell of a lot bigger depending on their strength. Screechers, the one that attacked before, are the smallest and have the minds of animals. Any other one is smart, like a clever general."

"Bear's a pretty scary to look at when you're being attacked by them," Meg said with a frown. I shrugged slightly. "But what about the skills you have? Early you shot every single target dead center bulls-eye." Yes early I had been at a shooting range onboard (we were onboard the _Elizabeth_ I had learned, Bai-Lan's HQ), getting a feel for the new Jerichos provided to me by Sei, Bai-Lan's leader. I had only talked with her briefly. My hand drifted slightly towards my hips, where the weapons sat comfortable.

"Shooting and fighting are easy skills to learn, especially if you're trained in them the military way," I answered with a slight grin. Drills, drills, drills, and guess what! More drills! And then suddenly Meg was gasping with delight and she turned to the window with shining eyes of gratitude.

"Now I get those drills Sarge put me through," she said softly. I started slightly and then figured Sarge wouldn't be able to sit still with the lack of discipline by her standards about the world. Even I had fallen slightly out of standard, with my shirt unbuttoned and untucked. But some clever In-betweens liked grabbing onto it and to save myself having it be ruined it was easier to slip out than if I were to button it.

For a while we stood in silence, watching the fight still going on. Jo had all but given up, yawning tiredly. I bit my cheek to keep from yawning with her. Maria was angrily throwing punches and insults at Sarge. The old Angel just kept smiling and ducking away.

"Meg," I finally said, a question buzzing around in my head. The red turned to look at me. "Why would you want to be a Soldier?" The girl's eyes clouded with emotion.

"I want to protect Jo." By the softness and longing of her voice I got that Meg had always been protected by Jo beforehand and the red head only wanted to return the favor. Or was it something more? I was never good with these situations. I turned back to the fight.

"I'll see what Rex can do then about your eyes," I finally said, a little awkwardly. It was odd, having someone _want _to protect an Angel. I only did it because it was my job. Did I do it out of want?

A certain moment or rather moments that had melted into one life changing moment from that month I had spent with the Angels trickled into my head. I bit my lip hard, trying to forget it. Unless the Angels remembered it I wasn't to bring it up. Command had said so.

Suddenly Sarge was in front of the window and looking directly at Meg and I. She looked a little peeved as she mouthed the words telling the two of us to get our asses in the gym. Well used to Sarge's temper I scrammed for the door. Meg followed me at just a quick a pace. How long had she known my old Sarge?

"How long as Sarge been training you?" I asked in a low whisper as we entered the room. Again Meg's eyes clouded with emotion.

"Five years." I dropped the subject as we both marched our way over to Sarge. Maria and Jo stood off to one side, Jo with her head tilted to one side and eyes closed. That pose made me rather aware of the drowsiness I felt and I had to fight another yawn.

"Attention!" Sarge snapped out just as the yawn was threatening to escape my lips. Instantly I snapped to, Meg doing the same at my side. We both locked onto the window as Sarge circled us. "Now, I know you were watching that fight moments ago. And since I've trained you both I expect you both to have picked up on the lack of teamwork between the two." Here Sarge shot a glare at her younger counterparts. Maria glared and scowled right back, Jo snored a little I think. "So now the two of you are going to fight me and if you don't work together it'll be Trick Pyramids." I fought my wince. Those things hurt. "And Corporal!" She bent slightly to look me dead in the eye. "No holding back." Now I did flinch. She was an Angel yet I had to follow her orders. "Now take off all and any weapons you might have!"

Meg and I did so with quick military precision. I was pleased at the red head's actions for only five years of being taught. Some of the other Soldiers didn't even have that same quick deft action after ten years of being taught. The only weapon she carried though was the specialized revolver. My weapon stripping took a bit longer.

"Why the hell do you have so many weapons Corporal?" Sarge asked from where she stood, eyeing me. Even Maria seemed a bit shocked and Jo opened her eyes a little to see what the commotion was.

"In-betweens like stealing things ma'am!" I snapped out with a loud and firm voice. And that was true. In these last three years I've lost over a hundred different weapons to their kleptomaniac fingers. Sarge made a 'hn' noise and motioned for me to finish. I did with haste.

"What had Sarge meant, no holding back?" Meg asked as the older woman moved away from us. I rolled my shoulders slightly to ease the stiffness. Maria hadn't been at my side when I woke up earlier.

"I was trained to protect the Angels not hurt them," I answered, waiting to for the silent signal that would begin the match. Maria was watching intently, probably wondering what Meg and I could do together that Jo and her couldn't do.

"And so if you were to hold back we might end up failing at this little drill." I nodded affirmative and bent my knees slightly. Sarge gave the signal and launched herself into the air. Meg let out an annoyed huff. "I am _not _climbing a ladder again." I bit my tongue slightly, gauging the height.

"How far away from the ground can you land safely?" I asked, narrowing my eyes. Meg looked at me sharply and suddenly knew my idea. She too looked up.

"How far can you throw me?" I shot a quick glance at her.

"About thirty stories high." The red head gapped at me with wide eyes. I shrugged slightly, aware that my frame did not give hint to the muscles that I had. "You'd go through the roof right now. Of the ship." Which would be a bad thing, given we were underwater. The girl turned her head back to Sarge, surprise still on her face.

"About level with her feet now," she finally said, a little bit of superstition in her voice. I shrugged it off, knowing that sometimes seeing is believing. "Do I need to run at you like Maria had to Jo?"

"No need really but if you like the idea better…" I trailed off to Meg's nod. So she backed away from me rapidly as I positioned myself. I heard Sarge chuckle as she watched from above. Frowning I fought the idea in my head. I didn't want to yet Sarge had given me an order. Finally, as Meg was running toward me, I gave in to what had been drilled into my head rather than my instincts.

"That's the same thing we did!" I heard Maria hiss with displeasure as I threw Meg into the air. Her foot had barely even touched my linked fingers. As the red head sailed upward (earning a concerned look from Jo) I shot backwards and jumped upward myself.

"Too short!" Sarge called with a laugh as Meg started to descend. The blue orbs got wide as she noticed me behind the oldest Angel, higher and coming down with a fist. Sarge's laugh was cut short and before she could turn around I struck.

Sarge does have a weak spot, one I'm very much aware of. Only it works when she's in air. Right between the shoulder blades, where her wings met. With a grunt I punched directly there and heard her gasp. Her wings snapped in and she plummeted like a rock. Meg was already on the ground and racing toward the LZ. She sure got over her shock fast. Jo was watching Meg and Maria was watching me. I kept falling.

Sarge landed and was instantly attacked by Meg. I grinned slightly. It had been awhile since I worked with someone. It was actually sort of refreshing.

I landed and shot off toward the fight. For every move Sarge blocked from one of us the other threw in another attack. In the short glimpse I caught of the two younger Angels I knew both were a little shocked. Maria by her frustrated glare and tense shoulders. Jo by her raised eyebrows and fully open eyes. They were one-man armies if they were shocked by a little teamwork.

"Enough!" Sarge finally called, panting slightly. I stopped my fist just short of her face. Sweat trickled down it and for all she scowled she was grinning. She had missed the thrill of fighting two opponents working together. "Enough. That was good. Very good. You did well Meg, for not having worked with Corporal before." Meg's face started to turn red. "And Corporal! Didn't I tell you not to hold back?" I flinched a little as I drew my hand back.

"You did ma'am," I answered, falling into the 'at ease' position. I wasn't even breathing hard I noticed. Those days of fighting In-betweens had made me tougher than I realized.

"So why did you?" I flinched again. She was asking me to truly let loose, something I rarely did if I could help it. The last time…I shuddered involuntarily. Sarge's eyes softened. _"That wasn't your fault Corporal." _I said nothing and earned myself a frustrated snarl.

The other three in the room were probably wondering what the hell Sarge had said. Certainly Meg was, she was looking at us with confusion. Sarge had spoken in the language I had grown up to, created specifically for the Demon Soldiers. Even the DTs hadn't been taught it. It had seemed…like spitting on the memory of our comrades. So now only Sarge and I knew the language.

"Hey Meg! Sarge! We've got a job!" a voice called. It wasn't Sei, this one sounder younger. Jo seemed to know it too for she started moving toward the door with Sarge and Meg. Maria looked at me in confusion to which I shrugged. Together we followed, Maria looking at me through narrowed eyes.

"You're stronger than what I just saw?" she mumbled, disbelief and a sort of hoping for me to say no in her voice. I rolled my shoulders and nodded curtly. A small noise of disbelief escaped Maria's lips. "I'd like to see that." It was a challenge but I didn't rise to the bait. I never wanted to use my full power again if I could help it. Maria huffed and sped up a little, leaving me a little breathing room.

The fight had knocked the drowsiness from my mind and now it came back full force. I nearly dropped where I was but fought it. I did allow a huge yawn to escape my lips though. Sarge shot a quick glance at me. My wounds were fully healed, after removing those damn stiches. I still wanted to hurt someone over that but as they hadn't known it would be unfair. At least Rex knew I was alright. Maria had gone to get some clothes for me, breaking down my door apparently (again), since the ones I had been wearing were ruined. If there is one thing more disgusting than throw up it would be wearing clothes that had been drenched in the yellow sticky blood of an In-between. There is simply no way to get the scent out and you felt forever covered in sweat while wearing the clothes. I had only done so once and would kill the person who made me do so again.

"Is it that monster again Amy?" Meg asked as the five of us entered the main room of the _Elizabeth_. She, Sarge, and Jo turned to a young teen girl with blonde hair and hazel eyes. Those same eyes danced over Jo's arm curled around Meg's waist with mischief.

"Yup! But we found its home now!" Amy turned to her computer and typed away faster than my eyes could follow. It surprised me and I looked away before I could get nausea. Doing so I caught Sei's concerned and saddened look. Something was off. "Although we lost Josh due to it." I hadn't heard the name before. Sarge's eyebrows shot upward.

"Damn," she muttered under her breath as a video started playing. Meg also seemed a little sad but focused more on the video than grief. I'd ask later. The video was playing.

Whomever had shot it, probably Josh, was in a dark area that you could barely make out anything from. More than once he bumped into something and cursed silently. A gun was held directly in front of the man's (?) body and he jumped to every noise. I pursed my lips. What was this monster? Probably nocturnal, because of the darkness.

A sharp, ear piercing scream suddenly interrupted the man's ragged breathing. My hand shot toward my hip on instinct, for it sounded like a screecher only…different. More rage, like it was berserk. But they were never in control to begin with. I shook my head and relaxed.

The breathing was more rapid now, approaching panic. Sarge was biting her lip, probably silently yelling at the man to get a grip. Well he was dead now so that wouldn't be much help. I bit my own lip, knowing that his breathing was giving him away. Even if the damn creature had no eyes it would certainly be able to use its ears. If Sarge had trained this man I would say it had just started. Or he hadn't cared and that was going to cost him his life.

Something came bounding out of the darkness. With a quick movement Amy paused the video and we were allowed to look face to face with the monster. I whistled, impressed. Now if an In-between looked like that in its true form even I would shiver a bit in fear.

It was a sort of zombie like…loin? Dog? Something with four legs and fangs. The eyes were wild and bloodshot. Even Amy's quickness hadn't been enough to pause the video in time before the attack. Blood was just barely splattered on the screen. She went back, frame by frame, until we could see the upraised claws. I got the impression of anime tiger claws ripping through something.

"Somebody failed in this creation," I mumbled under my breath, so as no one would hear. And no one did. Or had they failed? Was it made to be like that? Or was it just some freak accident that probably left a lot of dead bodies in the end?

"Where was this taken?" Sarge asked, straightening up. Her eyes were flashing dangerously and I knew she was pissed. Amy tapped at her keyboard and a map with a beeping red icon appeared. On instinct I memorized the location. Meg made to leave a few moments after but Sarge's hand on her shoulder stopped her. That caught Sei's attention.

"Something wrong Sargent?" the woman asked, walking over. She was younger than Sarge, by a lot. At least so it seemed. There was a serious expression on Sarge's face. Meg was looking at her with question.

"You know that both Meg and I are good," Sarge whispered. I got a sinking feeling in my gut. Oh no, not this please Sarge. "And I'm betting since Meg knows Jo you know Jo and she probably worked for you." Sei didn't even look surprised as she nodded. "I can tell you that Maria has pretty much the same skills as Jo, just uses them a bit differently." An annoyed huff from Maria. I knew she thought she knew more than Jo. "However you don't know how much skill Corporal has. Would you mind sending her out to take of that monster?" Sei turned to me.

With a critical eye she examined me, walking up close to me. I already had the military precision up, guarding what I truly thought. Damn you Sarge, what the hell were you playing at? The woman didn't even give the slightest hint in her face. I really wanted to snarl in rage.

"Do you think she can do it then Sargent?" Sei said, backing off. I nearly snorted. Sarge wouldn't have suggested it if she didn't think I could. Luckily Sarge gave Sei a level glare and I realized she was sending me out because she was too angry to think straight. That Josh must have meant a lot to her.

"If I didn't do you think I would have brought it up?" Sarge's voice was cold. Sei's eyes softened. She knew more than I did.

"Alright she can. But I'm sending Jo and Meg with her for back-up. Agreed?" Sarge nodded and so Sei turned to the three of us. "Meg you know the drill. Fill Jo and Corporal was it?" I nodded curtly. "Fill them in on what to do. And _don't _act unless she calls for you. Okay?" A finger was pointed at me and now Meg was nodding, looking a little annoyed. "That goes double for you Jo." A small annoyed sounded issued from the short haired Angel's lips and Meg giggled softly. "Alright. Amy give Corporal the standard surveillance gear."

"Come on!" the blonde teen said, pulling at my sleeve. I was confused. Why would I need surveillance gear if I was going to take out a monster? I let myself get pulled into a back room, just catching Meg asking what would I use for transportation seeing how only two could sit on her bike.

Amy led me into a back room filled with surveillance stuff I was familiar with and stuff I wasn't. As I stood staring she scampered over to a counter that was covered with vials. Inside the vials were what appeared to be contacts only…did they have microscopic circuitry in them? I couldn't quite tell. It certainly was one of the things I had never seen before.

"Here, it won't hurt," Amy said, picking up one of the vials and motioning me over. I did so quietly. "It's a camera I designed, to go on the eyeball. Less likely to be noticed that way I think!" With practiced ease she pulled back my eyelid.

"No one would certainly think to look for a camera there," I agreed, pleased with this new idea. Many a time I've nearly had my ass capped because someone thought they spotted a camera on me. As if I would be stupid enough to leave one in a normal place. Amy giggled and let my eyelid slid back into its normal position. I blinked a few times. "It's like a contact."

"That's how I hoped it would turn out! You're the first person to ever actually use that device by the way." I glanced at the multiple vials. "Oh yah. We were waiting for someone to brave and use the device. A lot of people here are sissies and only like to follow others' example." Amy scowled with distaste as she reached for another device. "This one everyone uses. It doubles as a mic and hearing device because it goes on your throat. You could be humming a song and I'd know every word."

"Impressive. You sure thought that through." Amy smiled at my comment, taping the device in place. The tape was clear save for a small skin colored square that covered the mic. I stayed still, though very much aware she was only a few inches shorter than me and probably still growing. Sort of annoyed me but then again it didn't. No one expected the little person to have much strength.

"Alright you're good to go!" Amy said, pulling me out of the room. Meg and Jo were waiting outside the door. The blonde teen skipped off to her computer as Meg led the way to another part of the ship.

"Can you drive?" she asked, narrowing her eyes at me. Dully I noted that her and Jo's hands were intertwined.

"Just about anything," I answered, pushing the detail from my mind. They had a history and I didn't want to pry right now since I had a job. "Though I refuse to even get into an electric car." Meg smiled knowingly at me.

"What about a bike?"


	8. Zombie Bat That Breaths Fire!

**A/N I don't own Burst Angel**

* * *

"What's your status Corporal?" Sarge's voice asked softly. In all actuality Amy had been lying, because there was a speaker at my ear but not directly in it. However the signal was received by the mic. I looked around a corner before answering.

"I'd like to say just approaching but these lights aren't part of the video," I answered just as softly, my voice barely above a whisper. According to the map those lights should be the location of the monster's home. And in the video it had been dark. Unless the lights were a fool and they were shut off if one triggered something, thus alerting the creature to someone entering its home. I bit my lip and pulled out my Jericho.

Cautiously I crept forward, eyes wide and searching. Never narrow them I had learned, for you missed something that way. My breathing was controlled into silence and my steps didn't even disturb the wind from what I could hear. The lights ahead of me stayed on. This was really starting to get on my nerves.

I stopped just before the door, taking the room in as much as I could without walking into it. Something about it seemed off, something jumpy. Or was it laser like? The room was full of rotting boxes and I caught the stench of a dead body. Josh? Flicking my wrist I edged the knife in my hand forward, just into the doorway.

The lights snapped off. In my ear I heard a gasp that sounded like Meg. A grin wormed its way onto my face. This monster had some smarts. Maybe I would get a good fight out of this. I flicked the knife back into its spot and waited.

After five minutes the lights came back one. I pursed my lips and sat down completely, crossing my legs. A laser it was but after that first one where there more? It made sense, because if you kept tripping them than the lights would stay off. Grinning to myself I pulled out a smoke grenade, pulled the pin, and slid it into the room.

When it went off I heard another gasp from the speaker. I was tempted to rip the thing out but then Sarge would have my sorry ass. The smoke cleared, revealing the lasers.

"That's good," Sarge said, with grudging respect. Nodding in agreement I stood and walked forward, eyes closed against the light. The minute my foot touched the first laser I heard the hum of electricity die off. Something else took its place.

Ragged breathing, like that of a raging psychopath. It was behind and above me. Like a dolt I walked forward, pretending to be unaware of the creature behind me. My eyes were still closed, so I could use my ears better. I knew I kept hitting the lasers because a snap-hiss followed each one deactivating. I figured for every deactivation the time period was extended by another five minutes so I kept count. I had hit a totally of ten by the time I was done, including the first one. So if there weren't anymore hit than fifty minutes would go by before the lights were to come back on.

Now I opened my eyes, gun held loosely at my side. It was still dark, but I could distinguish the features of rotting boxes. But unlike the Josh man I didn't even start to panic. No I just waited, calmly, wondering if the creature could even see me. I couldn't see it but I could hear it. And that was enough.

"What's going on?" Meg's voice hissed in my ear softly. I bit my tongue as a sharp remark for her to shut the hell up jumped to my throat. I might get myself killed for such a thing. Instead I just hissed my reply back.

"Nothing at the moment!" I heard the creature's head tilt slightly at the faint noises it was hearing. If I kept talking it would come down. "Maybe the creature's out and about!"

"We would have heard of that already!"

"CRREEE!" I whirled and fired off a shot into the darkness as a flapping of leather wings reached my ears. By sound I knew my bullet had struck stone and snarled in frustration. Why everything wanted to burst my eardrums this week I did not know.

The creature was directly above me now and angling downward. It _could _see me. Snarling I fired directly upward then jumped back, triggering another laser. So far the creature hadn't hit any itself. That big it should have. I narrowed my eyes. Someone else was involved in this, someone good. They had made it so the lasers recognized the creature's DNA I was willing to bet. Thus nothing would be activated unless programmed to do so.

"Meg, Jo be on the look out for anyone trying to sneak in," I whispered softly, listening to the enraged shrieks of the creature. It probably wasn't used to being wounded on its home turf. There was only one entrance to this place. "There's probably someone who's been controlling the creature to a point, because I doubt it could have programmed the lasers by itself."

"Programmed?" Meg's voice asked as Amy gasped. I heard her frantic typing as she hacked into the system. "What do you mean?"

"The lasers aren't being triggered by the creature so there's a possibility that they're programmed not to deactivate if hit with the creatures DNA."

"Lasers can do that?"

"If highly advanced. Normal civilians can't even get their hands on that sort of stuff." The creature had landed and I could smell the sickly sweet scent of blood. So my bullet had struck, just where exactly I couldn't tell. That didn't matter though.

"There," I heard Jo's quiet voice. I could imagine her pointing to someone, someone trying to sneak in. I had expected nothing less from the Angel either. Alright they had their part of the job and I just had to do mine.

I had to kill the thing with minimal damage. That way the body could be lugged back to Sei for examination. Easy enough, quite honestly. I didn't even need my Jerichos for it. But in the darkness I preferred using them.

"Come on you over sized zombie bat," I growled, launching myself toward the creature. I could see, faintly, its outline and heard its wild heartbeat. Through the speaker I heard Sei yelling at Jo not to kill the man, that he would hold the information she needed, and Jo saying that Sei wasn't any fun.

Quite suddenly the creature screeched again and launched itself toward the roof. I snarled, grinding to a halt and glaring upward. The creature paid me no heed and broke through the ceiling. Getting a gut feeling I ran toward the exit. Jo and Meg might be in a bight of a pickle.

"Jo! Meg! I think that damn monster is coming help his master or something!" I roared through the mic, racing away. As a second thought I threw down my own camera. I wanted to see if my thoughts about the lasers and their timing were correct.

"Then get your ass up here!" Meg yelled back at me. I was already nearing the exit to the street and could see the two fighting.

"Two thoughts ahead of you!" I replied with a grin, bursting onto the scene. At the same time so did the monster and I was rewarded the full sight of it.

The creature did have four legs and the rotting flesh that normally adjourned zombies. Leathery wings seemed to have been grafted onto its back and one shoulder was bleeding from my bullet. The wild eyes turned to me as I came to a stop and with a stop it launched itself at me. Grinning crazily I ran toward it myself.

"Come on! You've got no balls!" I roared out in pure joy. I was letting myself loose, because looking at this thing I knew I would need a tiny slip. Demon against a considered demon. Let's see who would win.

"Hahaha you're crazy girl! No one survives getting into a direct fight with my boy!" the mastermind cackled. I only grinned savagely, holstering my gun. Now in the light I could do whatever I damn well pleased. "Should have kept that out girl! Hehehe!"

"I think she has a death wish," I heard Meg behind me say. She sounded annoyed or like when how those anime characters look like when their face is all swollen looking and they're shaking. I shook the image from my head as the creature flipped itself into the air. With a whoop I jumped upward after it.

"CRREEE?" I laughed with delight at the creature's shock and punched it in the face. It tumbled backward and fell to the ground again. I also came back to earth, cracking the pavement beneath my feet. A psychotic giggle left my lips and I knew my own eyes were crazed. The part of my brain that had been drilled to military perfection was yelling at me to get a grip. I couldn't though. This was just a little too much fun.

Jo and Meg were busy keeping the boss occupied. I let them have at it. My target lay in the zombie bat. Lightly I raced over as it was struggling to get up from the crater it had made when landing. I stood at the edge, giggling and watching.

"What's the matter?" I called mockingly. The creature's head snapped around to me. "Can't get up? Do we need to call for a lift assist?" I fell to the ground laughing at my own joke. Boy was I losing it.

"CRREEE!" The creature seemed to know I was laughing at it and its struggles to get out increased. I flipped onto my and mocked it. That was the final straw I guess. It spit fire at me.

"WHOOP! Now you're being serious!" I called, rolling out of range. I was well aware of the silence behind me. Whether Meg and Jo had succeeded I didn't really know and in my state of mind didn't care. My body jolted me to my feet as the creature freed itself and came running, fire ahead. I cackled madly, just standing over there.

With a pleasurable delight I let the fire wash over me. Was I afraid of being burned? Nope, not a single bit. Was I afraid of my clothes being burned off me? Maybe a little, this was a new set. Luckily they didn't.

"CRREEE?" There was total question in the creature's voice now. I grinned and started running toward it. The fire had stopped and I was supposed to be a crispy critter.

With a light jump, for me, I was on its neck and placing my hands on the rotting flesh. It didn't even have time to realize where I was before I snapped its neck. The body beneath me shuddered once then was still. Another cackle of laughter escaped my lips as I slipped to the ground. And suddenly I was throwing my head back and howling.

"Attention!" a voice barked out. Instantly my good and drugged mood disappeared and I was standing ram rod straight. My eyes locked onto a certain patch of the creature's skin which was a lighter color than the rest. Meg stalked into my view and I was shocked.

Her face was pale and sweat made her hair stick to her skin. Despite the scowl on her face her eyes were wide with fear. That's when I knew she and Jo had both seen my slip and berated myself inside. This was so not going to go over well.

"How the hell are you still alive?" I was expecting a strip down for losing control so easily. I was not expecting the concern in her voice nor the worried look in Jo's eyes as she joined Meg. My mouth started to drop open before I realized I was still supposed to be a soldier.

"I'm immune to fire," I answered, somewhat meekly. This was the last thing I needed. "And I had to make my clothes fire resistant too. Ma'am." Meg seemed surprised by the title I gave her. I didn't know her rank but the fact that she had roared out to me like that made me think it was higher than my own. Maybe…no, not higher than Sarge's. No one ever got higher than Sarge. We could get level with it sure but higher… I rattled the thought from my head.

"Corporal you've been cut to ribbons." I blinked and suddenly became area of the stinging cuts raging across my body. Those damn lasers! I thought they had only been there to keep the lights off! On reflex I reached up and knocked myself upside the head. Hard. Enough to stumble forward, blinking stars from my vision. Stupid, stupid, stupid! Both Meg and Jo caught me before I could faceplant onto the ground.

"Now why the hell did you do that?" Jo growled in my ear. Someone was pulling up with a trailer. They loaded the body of the creature onto it. I still couldn't think straight a car pulled up. Jo shoved me inside and then slammed the door in my face. Through my haze I could see her and Meg leave on the bikes the three of us had arrived on. In the coolness of the vehicle my head was stopping its pounding and the laser cuts were shrinking. Drowsiness was threatening to engulf me.

"You've got skill." Sei's voice snapped me awake. I struggled to sit upright and managed that just as her foot hit the gas. Weakly I grasped at the seat belt. Maybe I had hit myself harder than necessary. "And abilities even Jo doesn't even have." The dark haired woman nodded toward my already half healed wounds. I blinked and forced away my yawn. "But what happened back there, when you…" She trailed off, not really finding words to describe my actions.

"Mmm lost control a bit," I mumbled tiredly, rubbing my eyes. A cup of coffee would be welcome right now. A cot even more so than that. "Something they couldn't write out of my creation. In all reality though it's just accessing my power more. The more power I call on the more unstable my mind becomes. Though I can still easily distinguish friend from foe at my worst." I had to yawn now. Sei pursed her lips and for a while we drove in silence, towards the ocean.

"I'd like to see your full strength one day," the woman finally said, once more jolting me out of sleep. I turned to her, furtively rubbing my eyes. "You've got a job working for me by what you did tonight. I lost three good people to that creature."

"Mm can't. There's still In-betweens out there. And Rex, I need to get back to him." As far as I knew the only knowledge he had of our whereabouts was whatever Maria had told him when she got my clothes. Sei smiled knowingly at me.

"I've already offered him a job too. And as for the In-betweens you'll be excused from duties when one appears." I felt a little better at that. Rex was a good man and deserved a salary. I hadn't been able to provide him that.

"Only screechers appear by themselves." I closed my eyes to Sei's quiet chuckle and settled into the leather seat. My wounds stung only faintly as I lost consciousness.


	9. Slip

"_**Damn it Private get a grip on yourself!" Mike hissed at me. I giggled softly, trying to. My nails dug into my skin. "You're going to get yourself killed!" He voice was coming through a speaker in my ear. Now I was biting my lip but the giggles were still slipping through. **_

"_**There's something over here!" a voice said, an unrecognized voice. Urgent feet reached my ears as Mike fell silent. Let them come, it wouldn't do them any good. Giggling I reached for my long knife. I was going to have some fun with these boys.**_

"_**You there! Hands up where we can see them!" A light blinded me for an instant. Scowling I squinted, trying to make sense of what was going on. "Hands up! I'm not going to ask you again!" **_

"_**Bite me!" I snapped back, throwing another knife. It caught the man right in the throat and he went down with a strangled choke. Sniggering I ran at the other men foolish enough to annoy me. Their desperate cries were music to my ears and I danced gracefully around the bullets that were flying. How I was doing so I wasn't entirely sure of. **_

_**Blood had soaked my clothes by the time I was finished. I was sort of giddy, like someone had shot me with morphine. Giggling I stumbled around, eyes crazed and wide. Each of the enemy had meet a rather painful and bloody death, most with their throat just barely cut for the red liquid to pulse out. Each had his eyes wide open in panic death. I stood in the middle of the circle, throwing my head back with laughter.**_

"_**Private?" I heard a small voice asked. I stopped laughing and looked for the source. Found no one. My body started moving toward the mansion, in which a monster was supposed to be held. **_

_**Sometimes, for practice really, we do other jobs besides fighting the In-betweens. This was one such job. A town was convinced there was a monster up in the old scientist mansion. They had sent one person to check it out. They got his head back. I giggled at the detail and sheathed my knife. **_

"_**Private!" The voice again. This time I located where it was coming from. My ear. Odd. As far as I knew I didn't hear voices in my head. Curiously I shoved a finger into my ear and something broke. I pulled it out. Oh the speaker. Oops! I giggled and threw the now useless device away.**_

_**Soundlessly I crept into the mansion. My giggles were suppressed or maybe I just didn't want to giggle anymore. Fire was coursing through my veins, nothing to do with adrenaline. Shadowy details suddenly sprang into light and I could even hear the breathing of bugs as I walked. Amazing! Why didn't I have this power all the time? **_

_**And then I heard it. The breathing of the monster. It was ragged and sickly, a raging maniac. I grinned and kept walking, toward a staircase. The creature was downstairs, probably because in the darkness no one knows what lurks. A giggle escaped my lips at the craftiness of the phrasing. **_

_**I thought of all those movies that I had seen, where the hero is confronting the final boss. You see them creeping along, a determined look on their face. It's usually guy, buff and with dark hair. Everyone seems to zone in on that. Sticking out my tongue I thought of my own movie. **_

_**Obviously I was the main character, the hero. The one who would take down the monster. Only there was a twist. I was female and a demon myself. A giggle escaped my lips. In this final battle there would be no desperate yelling just mad cackling. Yes that sounded like a movie I would watch in theaters. **_

_**As I walked the fire surging through my veins grew in strength. I wasn't even sweating though and looking at my hands I could have sworn my skin was turning black and leathery. My nails were becoming claws and I think my canines were turning into fangs. Now why was this happening? And why now? It had never happened to me before yet I had been told there might be a possibility of it doing so. What had triggered it though then? **_

_**A roar jolted me from my thoughts. Without realizing it I had reached the basement and trod on the creature's tail, foot, something. I had no idea what but I jumped back anyway. **_

_**The creature was beautiful in a sort of sick way. It had shiny purple skin stretched tight over bulging muscles. Whirling eyes that shifted from color to color scanned the room, looking for the fool to wake it up. The claws were black and dripping with poison, about the size of a dining room chair. I sucked in my breath, awed, as it spit blue fire, showing off the snake like fangs that rimmed its whole mouth.**_

"_**Oh wow," I whispered softly. I was facing a true monster, not some cracker jack imitation. This thing had been created to look like this, I was certain. I almost regretted the job that I had to do. It didn't know wrong from right. It could only follow its creator's instructions. **_

"**I can hear you," **_**a soft voice said. I cried out in shock. It was in my head! **_**"I thank you for the compliment about my looks."**

"_**Y-you're welcome," I stuttered back. The creature was facing me directly, captivating me with those whirling eyes. "I-I'm Pheonix. What's your name?" I was starting to get used to the eyes. They crinkled with softness.**_

"**Dex. Why do you have to kill me?" **_**I cringed.**_

"_**Orders. But what if you were to tell me how to control you? Then you wouldn't have to die!" I really didn't want to kill Dex. He was a true monster, and true monsters are deeply misunderstood because of the fake ones. True monsters don't fight unless told so and don't fight without good reason too. They have honor. **_

"**That could work. But there's only one problem." **_**I realized with a jolt that the fire coursing through my veins had died. My skin was its normal color again. **_

"_**What's that?" My head was on straight so it didn't sound like I was whining. **_

"**You're not a demon." **_**I blinked in shock. Not a demon? Oh! I started laughing, calling that power back to the front. Dex watched me, eyes whirling with surprise. **_**"You are a demon." **

"_**Yes," I said giggling again. I just couldn't get a grip at all. "A Demon Soldier. So how does this thing work?" Dex seemed to smile. **_

"**Hold out your hand." **_**I did so and he gently drew the very tip of his claw against my skin. I gasped as the poison seeped in, ice cold against the fire. **_**"The poison is what controls me. With that in your veins you'll be able to. If you survive." **

"_**I'm a demon. Of course I will." The wound was already healing. Something inside me told me not to fight the poison, to let it course through my veins. I always followed my instincts. And the funny thing was that I wasn't even tired! **_

_**A whole new world opened up to me. I could sense things through Dex that I hadn't been able to before. Like my comrades on the main floor, talking softly. I pursed my lips and narrowed my eyes at the bulky figure of my friend. **_

"**I can shrink." **_**And he did so, wings that had been pressed tightly against his back coming out. I watched with awe once more as he shrunk to about the size of a kitten. The wings moved him over to me and he landed on my shoulder. **_**"How will you explain this to your comrades?" **

"_**Exactly how it happened. That's what we're supposed to do." Dex smiled with amusement. That was the start of our friendship.**_

* * *

_****_**A/N I don't own Burst Angel**


	10. Um, Glowing Brains Are Old?

**A/N I don't own Burst Angel**

* * *

"What the hell is that thing?" a voice snapped out as I woke up. It sounded like Maria. I struggled to sit up, becoming aware that I was in my sleeping clothes. What the? I had fallen asleep in my normal clothes. I shook my head to clear it.

"_Does this girl know any other emotion than annoyed?" _ a soft voice asked inside my head. A delighted cry escaped my lips. I stumbled from my bed and out into the hall.

"Dex!" I called, opening the door and smacking myself in the face. The creature turned to me, small as a kitten, but different than Dex. This one had red skin and orange claws. Its eyes whirled as it turned to me, skillfully avoiding Maria's grab at it.

"_No girl. I am not Dex. I am Reckle." _I paused then, remembering my friend had been killed about eight years ago. Reckle landed and walked over to me. Maria was watching warily and I saw the scratches on her arms and back. _"I want to thank you for freeing me from that zombie body I was captured in."_

"I thought you could only be controlled if someone had the poison in their blood." Confusion was in my voice as I sat down, criss-crossed. Reckle smiled with amusement.

"_That is the way of acceptance. To capture and put one of us into the dead body of another is to force the control upon us. And do not worry. That girl, I would not want to be controlled by someone with such an annoying voice." _I laughed, delighted at Reckle's humor. Looking I saw there was no poison dripping from his claws. Dex had the same ability just preferred not to use it unless sleeping. After I complained that having a dry bed would be nice.

"So Reckle, is that all you came to tell me?" I asked, completely ignoring Maria. Reckle shook his head and then butted my outstretched hand.

Instantly the connection was made. Everything on the ship I became aware of, outside it too. I gasped with delight and closed my eyes. Sei was talking with Amy in the main room. Sarge was putting a bunch of unlucky victims through drills. Jo and Meg were…I blocked that out quickly.

"_You are the only one left to be able to form such a connection. I will serve you in gratitude for saving me." _I smiled and let Reckle climb up my arm. His claws did nothing to my skin. Soon enough he was perched on my shoulder, a comforting weight. Now I remembered Maria.

"Maria this is Reckle," I said, introducing the two. Sort of. "He's a Greepo, created by an outside group long before even you and I were thought of! Treat him nice and he'll do the same." Maria scowled.

"He came out of the monster," she told me in a warning voice. I laughed softly. "What the hell's so funny?"

"That was a Greepo too, only brought back to life. Reckle just told me that if you put a live one into the body of a dead one then it's a forced control. If you have the poison running through your veins then it's an accepted control."

"Poison?"

"Yes. Don't worry though. Greepos have the ability to release the poison when they want. You're not infected or anything." Reckle stuck his tongue out at Maria and I laughed again. He was going to be a riot, Reckle. Making the soft hissing noise of a chuckling Greepo Reckle buried his head in my hair.

"Maria have you-oh Pheonix you're awake!" Rex exclaimed, coming up to the scene. He was panting and sweat was trickling down his face. There was a pleased look in his eyes. "I see you've become acquainted with the Greepo. Didn't you realize the creature you were fighting was a dead one?"

"No. I slipped," I answered, grinning sheepishly. Rex's eyes softened. "This is Reckle. He's going to be hanging out for a while." The man's face brightened.

"I suspected as much. They're loyal creatures. Aren't you Reckle?" The red Greepo nodded in agreement. Rex gave a delighted gasp. "He understands me! Amazing!" Maria was looking annoyed and confused. I laughed with delight. "Ah! If you'll excuse me I need to finish my examination." And my scientist bustled off, heading back toward his lab. There was a happy spring to his step though and I felt my eyes crinkle. He liked it here, a lot.

"You're smiling," Maria said suddenly. I blinked in shock and put a hand to my lips. So I was.

"Yes," I agreed softly. "Greepos have that effect on me." Maria huffed and shot an annoyed glare at Reckle before storming off. I tracked her easily to the gym, wondering what had gotten on her nerves.

"_Perhaps she was hoping it was something else that made you smile," _Reckle mused as I headed back into my room. I frowned at the thought. Something else? What else could make me smile? _"I've no idea!"_

"Hnnn," I answered, grabbing at my weapons. Absently I noted that Sei was walking in the direction that Rex had also gone. "Never even thought I could smile again after Dex died. Thanks for coming along Reckle." The Greepo chuckled and jumped onto my bed so I could change.

It had been a long while since I had to put it on. The small little metal shoulder pad. Greepos could dull the edge of their claws down so as not to hurt their friends but if done too much then the claws would stay dull. Dex had assured me that a small metal pad would do nothing to the sharpness of his claws.

"_That's the same with all Greepos," _Reckle told me gently as I pulled on my shirt. He flew back to his perch and loosely wrapped an added tail around my neck. Some Greepos have them, some don't. _"Some of us are also hungry." _ I laughed and started heading out the door, becoming aware of the hunger pains gnawing at my stomach.

"You're a rascal you know that?" I answered, closing the door behind me. Reckle just chuckled and dug his claws into the metal pad on my shoulder. I smiled amusedly and used my ears to find the mess hall.

There was a scarce amount of people about at this hour. The ones there looked about ready to fall asleep. I suddenly became aware that I wasn't even tired myself. Then I smiled. Dex had negated that effect for me and it seemed Reckle was doing the same thing.

"_I don't want you to face plant," _he told me, chuckling. I scowled and headed over to the food.

"What do you like Reckle?" I asked, grabbing a tray. There was a wide variety, something I hadn't expected. It all looked rather good too, like a professional chef had made it and not some army imitator.

"_The sushi looks intriguing." _I made a gagging motion and picked some up. Then I grabbed a cup of coffee and headed to a table.

Reckle attacked the sushi eagerly as I sipped at my drink. A chuckle rose to my lips as he did so. Yes Reckle would be a riot but I knew when the time came he would be serious. Greepos always had the sense, even better than a human's. Even better than my own actually.

Dark thoughts assaulted my head. I still had yet to figure out what caused me to slip like I did. And the scientists hadn't told me either. Only something familiar snapped me back, if it was sharp and commanding. There was…something else too but the person that held such power wasn't aware of it. Sighing I shook my head and drank my coffee. I had thought this over many times and always ended with a headache.

Sei walked into the room, searching. She spotted me and started heading over, the men snapping to attention. I did so too, calling Reckle to my shoulder for a bit.

"Relax boys," the dark haired woman said with a smile. The stragglers did so, all but falling asleep again. "You too Corporal." I let my shoulders slump slightly and Reckle dived back at the sushi. Sei sat down in the opposite from me. "You look well rested."

"For a first," I answered back, absently tracing the rim of the mug with my finger. I was still trying to figure out the cause of my slip this time. My thoughts kept circling back to Sarge's early order. If that was it then why did it happen before, without such a thing?

"Rex said that this creature here is a Greepo and that they normal aren't so violent." Sei nodded toward where Reckle was eating between us. I brought myself back to reality.

"Yes. Reckle here was probably just following orders. They've no choice but to either. Reckle this is Sei, our boss. Be nice to her. She supplies the sushi." Sei watched amused as my little red friend stood on his hind legs and bowed.

"A good morning to you Mr. Reckle," she answered with a chuckle. Reckle grinned at her and went back to his breakfast. "What do you know of Greepos Corporal?" I put down my mug.

"They're loyal creatures. Whomever is controlling them is whomever they listen to. Reckle was in a forced control, when you put the live body of one into the dead of another. When you have the poison of a Greepo in your veins it's an accepted control." I lifted my hand and showed her the scar Dex had given me so long ago. It hadn't faded over the years and somehow refused to be covered by the other scars decorating my palm. "Normal humans can't have that acceptance though."

"What about Jo and Maria?" Sei's eyes flashed briefly with concern as she noted the many scars on my hand. That's when I became aware that yes I wasn't drowsy but I was still stiff as hell.

"No. You have to be a demon for it to work. The poison probably kills a normal human."

"_Makes them insane," _Reckle corrected, projecting the thought. Greepos could do that, so that others could hear them, but not hold a conversation doing so. Sei looked surprised at the voice in her head and glanced at my red friend. I smiled amusedly.

"And so you're the only one left who can form such a connection?" Sei's voice was gentle. Sarge must have told her I was the only Demon Soldier left. I nodded.

"Yes. Mine was formed years ago, by another Greepo named Dex. He's…gone now." I looked down at my scarred palm. Sei made a soft sympathetic noise. Dex had been my closest friend while I was training and losing him had hurt. It still hurt but I could feel that ache easing with Reckle's presence.

For a while we sat in silence, sort of an uncomfortable one. Sei didn't seem to know what to say and I was lost in memories again. Mainly the ones of everyone adjusting to Dex and him calling them incompetent idiots. An amused chuckle escaped my lips at that. The doors banged open at some point and a bunch of men stumbled in. Judging by their exhausted and painful groans I was willing to be these were the ones Sarge had picked on.

"She does wonders with them," Sei mumbled softly, watching the men. Despite the exhaustion they showed the men stayed in line, not saying a word as they got food. "I doubt I could have found a better person for the job. And she's helped Meg a lot these past years."

"I can imagine," I answered, pulling myself out of my memories. That's when I remembered Meg's feelings that made her want to be a Soldier. Before I told Rex I wanted to talk to Sei about it. "Meg had wanted to be a Soldier." Sei glanced at me, amusement in her eyes. Apparently this wasn't anything new to her.

"Yes. Before, she was always being kidnapped. Jo always saved her. I can imagine her reasoning to be justified."

"She can't be a true one though. At least not to the extent I am. No one can, unless created from before birth." Sei gave me a long look.

"A test tube child?" I nodded. Sei looked away with pursed lips. "So what would make her different then, to be able to protect Jo?"

"These." I jabbed at my eyes. "In-betweens are peculiar creatures. They emit a fear which is only negated by being able to see their true form. And the eyes are the only thing that can be replicated into a normal human after they've been born." Some of the Soldiers had been normal humans, orphans without any hope of being adopted. The scientists had only been able to give them the eyes. "Rex can do the operation. It won't even hurt her. The change will be gradual, because a fast change would result in a fail." That had happened too.

"So how does it work?" Sei had her full attention on me. The men had sat down and now were talking amongst themselves. Like we had once before.

"Rex creates the liquid, which takes about five days, and then it's like a shot. After that it's up to the will of the person who was injected. If they feel strongly about it than three days at the least." Sei smiled amusedly.

"Meg might get that part done in an hour." I shook my head.

"Too fast. She'd be blind for the rest of her life. Even the strongest will can't make it go faster than three days minimum. A sort of survival instinct kicks in. I only know of the fact because some of the kids who agreed to it were rather…relying on others to live."

Sei was silent for a while longer, thinking with narrowed eyes. I sipped at my coffee, glad that we were past the awkward silence of before. Reckle was stuffed full of sushi and back on my shoulder, head resting on my own. The stragglers from early were getting up to leave.

"Tell Rex to get on it then and he's excused from further duties until that liquid is created. There's really nothing more I can get from that Greepo body. It's all but self-destructed itself." Sei sounded a little annoyed. I smiled.

"They do that to prevent anyone from cloning them. I'll let Rex know right now with your permission." Sei's eyebrows shot upward as she looked at me. She must have forgotten I was a soldier.

"Alright do that," she said, nodding. "And tell Meg too. If you can get her away from Jo. Meg should be the one to break the news for that." I nodded and stood. Reckle grumbled a little, having fallen asleep.

"_Relax your shoulders a little," _he said softly. I tried and failed. It was the stiffness, not my training. Reckle mumbled slightly and his tail became warmer. Another little trick of the Greepos was to warm a part of their body more than that of the rest. The added heat seeped into my neck and down my spine, chasing away the stiffness. A grateful sigh escaped my lips.

"I forgot how loyal and caring Greepos are," I commented softly, making my way by ear to Rex's lab. Maria was still in the gym and now Jo was fighting her. Meg was watching, partly asleep. I mused at how well I was able to tell everything apart, even through the thick metal walls of the ship. Before I would have only been able to know that Maria and Jo were onboard.

I entered the lab and became aware of the stench. Greepos are nice and all but not dead. Nothing smelt good dead unless it was edible meat cooked in various ways that made them taste night. Reckle butted my head.

"_You're making my mouth water." _I chuckled and set off toward the man in the back. Rex was at a computer, transferring his files over. He looked very much at ease in the lab.

"You look at home," I said softly, amusement in my voice. The man jumped and turned to me. A smile light his face upon seeing me.

"It's a very nice lab yes. High end equipment," he answered, looking me over. He knew something was different with me. "I see having Reckle at your side is doing you some good too. Or is it being part of a larger group again?" I blinked in shock. I hadn't thought of that.

"Perhaps. Sei wants you working on another project, now that the Greepo's gone and finished his programming." There was never any female Greepos. At least none that I was aware of at the very least. A new one just seemed to appear whenever another died.

"Which would be? Hopefully something useful." I nodded.

"Demon eyes." I jabbed at my own. Rex raised an eyebrow.

"For who?"

"Meg. She wants to be able to protect Jo for some reason." Rex nodded back and motioned me over. There was a part of the experiment he would need from me.

"I met her before. Delightful young girl, very smart though she likes to hid it. She and Jo have a long and strong history. Does she know that this is going to happen?" I removed Reckle from my shoulder and laid down on the table.

"I'm to tell her after this. Without Jo around. Sei thought it best that Meg tell her." Rex was nodding as he grabbed a small, very small, knife.

The only part he needed for the experiment was a small part of my own eye. It was to replicate the change in it that made me able to see the In-betweens. The original part had been lost in the ambush. The schematics for it hadn't though and that was all he needed besides the slice.

I kept myself perfectly still throughout the operation. It took no more than ten minutes. Reckle kept watch at the door, because Sei didn't know about this. I would have to tell Amy to keep quiet too.

"Done," Rex said, pulling away from me. I sat up, aware of the stinging in my eye as I brushed my hair over it. The wound would heal, like always, but at a normal pace while I was awake. With the coffee running through me I was bound to be up for another six hours or so. "I hope I don't get any other projects while at this."

"Sei's going to send the other stuff to whomever she sent it to before," I answered, assuming this to be true. She hadn't said it but it only made sense since Rex was cleared of all jobs until this was done. "Just get it done in the normal time and you'll have no problems." Rex nodded and moved off, toward his project. I called Reckle to my shoulder and left the lab.

"_So now I meet Meg and Jo hum?" _my little friend said, wrapping his tail around my neck again. I nodded, marching my way to the gym. Men in blue armor walked through the halls, hands on rifles, like another other good soldier. Their helmets were white with a black face mask, hiding any give away of emotion. I nodded to myself in approval.

Maria and Jo were in the middle of an intense fight when I walked in. I sighed, shaking my head. Didn't they know how to use words to fight? Meg was off to one side, watching with a slightly worried expression. I walked over, ducking as a piece of the wall was thrown my way because Jo had moved out of its path. Looking around I could see a few dents that would cost a pretty penny to fix.

"Sometimes I wonder how they would fight if we stuck them in bumper cars," I grumbled, coming up to Meg. The red head looked at me with shock and then amusement. "Or monster trucks."

"I don't think either one of them can drive!" Meg answered with a laugh. I stuck my tongue, having not thought about that before. "They can use mechas though."

"I find those annoying. You can't sense anything around you and have to rely on the cameras of the damn thing." Meg shot a glance at me, eyebrows raised in amusement.

"Depends on who's piloting it." Her eyes turned to Jo. Well I guess that would fit the tomboy's style. If fitted with rather large hand guns. "Was there something you wanted to tell me?" I caught a rock headed for my face with a scowl and contemplated throwing it back at the two Angels.

"You'll have your eyes soon," I whispered softly, so Jo wouldn't hear. Engrossed in the fight she didn't and neither did Maria. "Rex is creating the liquid. It'll take about five days for that." Meg gasped and turned to me.

"How long will it be until it takes affect?" I could hear the pleasure and hope in her voice. A long and strong history huh? Rex had hit it dead on.

"Three days at least. Depending on how badly you want it." Meg frowned then. I knew she was going to say something along the lines of she might get it done faster than that. I held up a hand. "Any faster and you'll be blind as a result. That wouldn't help would it?" She huffed and turned away.

"So at least eight days before I can protect Jo?" she finally said, watching her Angel. I nodded, disturbing a sleeping Reckle again. He grumped and thumped my head lightly with his wing.

Before I knew what was happing Meg had brushed the hair away from my eye. Too slow I pulled away. She pursed her lips and turned away. I brushed the hair back into place quickly.

"Was a part of your eye really necessary?" she asked, annoyance in her voice. I tapped my hand against my leg uncomfortably.

"Unless you wanted to wait a year and three days instead." That stopped anything else she might have said. Yes without a sample of an eye it would have taken Rex a year to creature the liquid. It had taken the other scientists a year, for the others. Afterwards they had realized they could have taken a small piece of one of our eyes to base it off of. Sometimes scientists are too smart for their own good.

Absently I kept tapping my hand against my leg. For each tap Maria's left foot came down I noticed. It was rather odd. There was nothing that could have given me a definite time when her foot came down and my eyes would make my hand react a little slow. That's when I realized it was my left hand with her left foot. Blinking I looked at my hands, starting to tap my right. It was in time with Maria's right foot. I stopped tapping my hands at that point. That was a just a little too odd. And yet I had an inkling of why…

Stubbornly I shook my head. Command said to forget it unless _they _brought it up. What command said went and so I shouldn't even be starting to think these thoughts. It went against orders.

"_You're loyal too, to people who are dead," _Reckle mused suddenly. I jolted a little. I hadn't even been aware he was awake. I sighed softly.

"Yes. And to those alive too," I answered, earning myself a confused look from Meg. I coaxed Reckle onto my arm and held him out to the red head. "This is Reckle Meg. He's a Greepo, the creature we were fighting…last night. Only that one was dead and he was in it. That's a forced control." Reckle tilted his head, studying the girl. She studied right back.

"So how come you can control him then?" she finally asked, holding out a hand. Reckle butted it in greeting. I held out my other hand.

"I have the poison running in my veins." And I was smiling slightly. Meg looked surprised, for I hadn't smiled in her presence once yet, but then smiled back at me. Still smiling she turned to the fight again, just as Jo smacked Maria in the chin.

"Cheap shot!" the shorter Angel scowled, rubbing her chin. Jo shrugged, obviously bored already. "You're so predictable."

"If so then why do you let yourself get hit?" Jo shot back in her calm, collected voice. Maria snarled, her taller sister oblivious to it as she walked back over to Meg. I chuckled slightly at their antics and moved myself away from the two girls. If Meg told Jo about the whole eye bit at that point I didn't catch it.

"Meg! Bring Jo and Corporal! We've got another job!" Amy called through the loud speakers. There was background noise. "And Maria!" I chuckled. Sei was probably trying to be nice. "Double time it! It's that rouge cybot again!" Now we were flying out of the gym, following a scowling Meg.

"Rouge cybot?" Jo grunted, staying level with the red head. Meg nodded, a dark look in her eyes. "What's it done?"

"Destroyed about half of Tokyo on its own. The other parts we still don't know what happened," Meg answered. I blinked. That cybot? He tried killing me a few weeks back.

"If it's the one I'm thinking of than it's got a brain," I called as we entered the garage area. Sirens were blaring around us, saying that we were about to surface and fast. The three girls with me groaned.

"I thought we were done with those things," Meg grumbled, heading toward her bike. Jo followed and I think it pleased her that she was able to climb on behind the red head. I headed for the bike I had used earlier, Maria at my tail.

"I can't drive bikes," she admitted, slipping on behind me. I nodded and tapped my fingers against the handle bars. We were coming to the surface, I heard the water rushing off the ship.

"Reckle follow us overhead okay?" I told my friend. He launched himself off my shoulder, startling Maria. I heard Meg yelling at Amy to start-up Django…both of them. Jo looked a little surprised at that but Meg was smiling fondly. We were breaking free and…gone.

I never quite understood how that worked, one moment inside the garage the next on the freeway. Meg was already gunning the engine to her bike and I followed suit. Hers was a chopper, mine was a speeder. With it I could go into places Meg couldn't and take corners tighter. Of course, it was really my skill with the bike. Choppers I wasn't too comfortable with.

"Hold tight!" I called to Maria, hitting the gas. The bike jumped forward as her arms tightened around my waist and I grinned wildly. Things I like the most: speeding on a bike, roller coasters, and playing with fire. All of it pointed to the demon side inside me and I didn't mind it one bit.

I still had the speaker in my ear and the mic at my throat. I guess the camera had been taken out because Amy was saying she couldn't see my point of view. Oops… At least everyone else was using the camera now.

With Amy's voice in my ear and following just behind Meg I got to the area pretty quickly. The cybot, the one that tried to kill me, was wreaking havoc on a newly constructed skyscraper. Like normal everyone was running away screaming. I slammed on the brakes, turning the bike so we were skidding sideways. Maria's grip tightened on my waist.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" she hissed in my ear as the machine came to a full stop. I just grinned and tapped at her arms. She let go instantly and jumped off, glaring at me. I only grinned back and shoved the bike into an alley. Meg was doing the same. Jo was watching the cybot.

You could see the brain clearly, it was encased in glass. Bullet proof glass as I knew from experience. That cybot was responsible for one of the larger scars on my back. I hadn't quite figured out why but the organ was glowing green. It was defiantly controlling the machine though.

"Won't work I've tried," I said as Jo raised one of her guns. She gave me a level look before lowering her hand. "Who are these Djangos you were talking about?" Suddenly Jo was smirking with confidence and Meg was grinning. They were both looking behind me and Maria was scramming out of the way. I looked over my shoulder.

Two cybots, both with two rather large pistols, were coming at me. The looked like normal humans in a way, but with somewhat different body parts. One was red and the other white and both looked ready to kill. That is, if cybots could portray emotion. I scowled.

"Why does everyone go cybot against cybot?" I asked as the two came to a stop. Meg and Jo both ran by me and to their separate bot. Jo the white one, Meg the red one. I watched as the machines came to life, responding to their movements. Then I turned back to the rouge cybot.

It had noticed the two opponents, turning to them with its brain glowing brighter. I frowned at that and asked Reckle to look out for backup. He was but a tiny mote in the sky but I knew he heard me. Maria huffed, coming to my side.

"What was the point in having us come if they just get to fight?" she grumbled, watching Jo shoot at the bot's brain. Even the oversized bullet of the oversized pistol didn't crack the glass. "And who the hell made that thing?"

"We're not likely to find out if the brain's destroyed," Sei's voice said. She sounded annoyed and I knew it was directed at Jo.

"_Incoming, from the sky on your six," _Reckle warned me. I snapped my head around as the screaming of engines reached my ears. The painting scheme of these bots were the same as the one on the ground. Allies then, two of them.

"Six fly!" I snapped out, running toward a building. Maria looked at me like I was crazy. Then I jumped upward, just higher than the path of the flying bots. I heard her gasp.

One flew beneath me as I started to descend. I had timed my jump to land on the second one and I did. Snarling I felt my control slip a little and my claws came out. I dug them into the metal as the bot tipped on its side.

"Where the hell did these come from?" Jo's voice snapped in my ear. I knew instantly that this was controlled by a person because of the wild and erotic heartbeat inside. Grinning wickedly I drew back a hand and punched at the cockpit. The glass started to shatter.

"Reckle!" I snapped out, indicating that he should look. I didn't see it but I felt him nod and start flying off. I punched again and this time the cracking was more audible. The heartbeat got faster. Another punch and the glass shattered.

"Die!" the man inside screamed. He was holding a pistol and I jerked my head to the side just as he fired. The bullet breezed by my head, cutting a small path in my skin. Then I was jerking it back to look him dead in the eye, a crazy grin on my face.

"You die!" I yanked him out of the seat and threw him toward the ground. He fell screaming as I climbed in and ran a quick eye over the controls. The other bot was assaulting Jo right now, who kept firing, snarling in rage. Meg was occupied with the original bot. Grabbing the stick I jerked the machine around to the fight. "Jo move!" She did, but not because I said so, but to avoid an attack. I opened fire.

"What the hell are you doing?" I heard the outraged voice of the other pilot snap at me. I punched the radio and told myself to get a grip. My finger squeezed the trigger, keeping the bullets raining down. Jo started firing too, making the thing blow up. Now it was just the original cybot left, the one with the brain.

"Damn it all why the hell does this thing have to a brain?" I heard Meg snap. Then I heard the sound of more flying engines. Whirling the machine around I saw it was only one. Chicken! Grinning I set the thing on autopilot, making it go as fast as possible. Then I jumped out of the cockpit and ran lightly along metal. Just before collision I jumped off.

_KA-BOOM! _I laughed with pure delight at the sound. Yes my control was back but I had always laughed at something like that. My feet cracked the pavement again as I landed. The two ships came down in a smoking molten mass. I cackled with delight.

"That's the only thing mechas are good for!" I crowed, turning to the one still up and running. All I got was a sort shocked silence. Okay so maybe I wasn't in control as much as I had thought. The brain controlled mecha turned to me as I ran toward it and opened fire.

"Has it forgotten us?" Jo asked, sounding a little annoyed as she fired back. The bullet rocked into the machine, leaving a good sized dent.

"Nope! Just remembering I dented it a bit before!" I jumped upward again, this time to come level with the 'eyes' of the mecha. "Hi! Did you miss me?" I threw a punch and took out the right 'eye'.

If mecha's could roar this one did as I landed. Bullets instantly started to rain down at me and I had to flip out of the way or end up dead. Angels can be shot a few thousand times in the heart and live. Not me. Meg fired a shot herself, right into the gun emplacement of the bot.

KA-BOOM! No more bullets rained down at me. The cybot was still standing, amazingly, and very angry I would say. Well it had a brain so that could be acceptable…to a point.

"Nice!" I grinned, running forward again. Maria was also running and glanced at me. In that single instant I read into her plan. It could work actually. My feet picked up speed and soon enough I was in position. "I get the feeling this is happening a lot this week." Maria's foot touched my linked hands and suddenly she was flying upward, drawing her sword. The glass was bullet proof, not blade proof.

Jo and Meg also read into the plan I think because they opened fired to keep the bot distracted. I moved myself away from the falling debris, trying to get a grip. If this didn't work then I wouldn't be able to. And I had a gut feeling I needed to.

"CRREEE!" Something launched itself off the nearest rooftop as suddenly the bullets stopped and Maria seemed to freeze up.

"Fuck!" The swear tore itself from my lips as I jumped upward, using Jo's mecha as a soundboard. My control was slipping even worse now as I launched myself to the screecher that had decided to show its ugly mug. The skin on my hands was turning black and my claws were becoming full length, twelve inches of menacing blood red bone. Compared to what everyone pictured a demon, the 'true' form, I was small.

"CRREEE!" Maria had crash landed on the pavement, the cybot making a break for it while the screecher played distraction. Snarling I grabbed the creature and stabbed its neck, launching myself off the dead body toward the cybot. Right now I was not in a happy mood. There were two things that could cause me to slip. One I didn't know the cause of, the other was anger. And I was pissed.

"You fucking piece of scrap metal!" I roared, my voice resonating about a three block radius. The cybot turned, recognizing the insult perhaps, as I drew back my hand again. My feet cracked the glass protecting the brain. One hand dug into the metal surrounding me as the other scratched away, intent on forming a hole to shoot through. Metal screamed as the mecha shook itself violently, trying to throw me off.

"You there! Stop fighting and put your hands in the air! You piloting the mechas! Turn off the machines and come out with your hands up!" I snarled and drew my gun. Damn R.A.P.T. They didn't know what they were getting into. The whole was formed.

"Don't!" I heard it as I fired. It sounded faintly like Jo only Jo didn't panic. She just got angry. Really angry. The bullet seemed to dig into the brain in slow motion. My eyes widened at the fireball starting to spread from it.

KA-BOOM! Okay something sharp and commanding could knock me back. Getting blown to pieces apparently did the same thing. I was flying backward, not even aware if I was in one piece or not. Sure as hell felt like a no. The fireball was chasing me, perhaps one last ditch of the brain. Well that wouldn't work all that well. My body smacked into something, stopping my backwards progression and sending me for the ground. I couldn't think straight at the moment and dully wondered where Reckle was and if he had found the enemy base.

"Huh?" I mumbled, landing on something red. Or had the fire caught me? No, there were flapping leather noises. Blood was in my mouth. "Reckle?"

"_Were you trying to commit suicide?" _He sounded annoyed. I started to respond but ended up passing out. I don't even know if I said that would be stupid because I still had a job to do.


	11. Family

"_**You're crazy girl," **__a soft, menacing voice said as I opened my eyes. I knew the voice well and kept my head bowed. My skin was black, my claws were out, canines pricked at my lips and every sense was sharpened beyond even what I got through Reckle. __**"The shrapnel could have killed you. Even so you destroyed a fourth of Tokyo again." **_

"_**I was only using the solution we had," **__I answered, softly, aware my own voice was filled with power. Yes I was in my true form, clothes stretched tightly over my skin. Blue flames danced around me, something that would have burned a normal human and even the Angels. __**"And I'll live. I've still a job to do."**_

"_**And love to find girl. If not you'll most likely become a fake demon." **__I cringed. Demons needed a soul mate, to balance their instincts of destroying. If that didn't happen by the time they turned 25 then they lost all control. At the time demon stories were created that fact hadn't been known. And thus the people were given a look at the fake demons, the ones who had lost all sense of control. In reality demons were honorable creatures, like the Greepos, fighting only for a cause and a good one too. The term 'unclean spirits' only came about because some man had said, centuries ago, that he could see spirits and that of a demon was shadowed with darkness. And perhaps it was, for we could play with fire without being burned and some of the stronger ones controlled the shadows. Of course, that was only achieved after finding a soul mate._

"_**There is only one person whom had touched my heart. Yet they are no longer aware of it."**__ The other demon hissed with displeasure. He didn't want to hear my petty excuses I knew but it was the truth. And I wasn't willing to give up my heart anyone but that person. _

"_**Then make them aware girl! Damn your orders this is a matter of life and death!" **__I cringed again as the other's claws touched the back of my neck. They gripped my shirt as I was yanked upward to stare at the other demon face to face. _

_His crazed eyes were full of malice at the moment, daring me to defy him again. Poison dripped from the fangs in his mouth. Muscles bulged under the tanned skin._

"_**It is not so simple as that," **__I said, wincing at my stupidity. With an outraged roar the demon threw me. I flew through the blue frames and crashed into the wall. Beyond the flames I could hear him screaming with rage. I coughed and wiped the blood from my mouth._

"_He is only concerned about you child," a soft voice said as a warm hand helped me up. I coughed again as I was pulled into a standing position. Now a woman with black hair and green eyes like my own was with me. "Do not think him angry at you."_

"_I know," I answered, my demon form having slipped away the moment I went through the flames. "I just wish it didn't hurt so much." The woman smiled softly at me, sadness in her eyes. I sighed. "I'm sorry but orders are orders."_

"_I don't want to see you uncontrollable dear." I mumbled something as I buried my face into her shoulder. The warm arms wrapped around me and stroked my hair. The pain in my back started to fade away. _

"_I'm sorry Mother."_

* * *

__**A/N I don't own Burst Angel**


	12. Step 1: A Simple Kiss

**A/N I don't own Burst Angel**

* * *

"We should let her sleep," I heard Sei's voice saying softly. Was she talking about me? My limbs wouldn't respond to the commands to get the hell up. "Come on Maria." A small noise of protest, startling close.

"No let her stay." That was Sarge, sharp and commanding even in a whisper. The person beside me stopped struggling. "I don't quite understand how at the moment but your presence Maria calms Corporal."

"It does?" This voice belonged to the person at my side. Wait…Maria calmed me? When had that ever happened and why hadn't I noticed it before?

"Yes…" I drifted off into a haze again.

"Do you think she realizes it Jo?" Maria again. She was still at my side and I still couldn't get my limbs to work. Everything stung I realized and my ears were ringing faintly.

"Maybe on a subconscious level," a voice answered. It wasn't Jo. I placed the voice as Meg's. "I mean, Sarge said she usually has nightmares. It hasn't looked like she's had one since you came back."

"You mean…" Someone was nodding; I could hear the air shifting. "Oh." A pause, to which I thought I might fall back asleep.

"Hn, should throw the book at her," Jo said suddenly. Book? At me? What book?

"What do you mean Jo?" Meg again. I was starting to fall back into the blackness again. Damn it!

"Neh murph," I grumbled, trying to make sense of where I was. Something warm was at my side, a rough blanket was on top of me. Okay recap. Engaging Brain's allies. Losing control in a small slip. Chicken, mad cackling, throwing Maria into the air. Screecher appearing, getting mad, losing control a bit more. Explosion and ah…I was back on the ship, in my cot, with Maria at my side. "Ow? What the hell possessed me to shoot the damn thing?" At least I still had all my limbs and fingers.

"Pheonix!" There was a rush of movement and suddenly I was being hugged. Tightly. I chocked in shock and found myself looking at a head of white hair. Oh right, Maria.

"Um…hi?" I managed to say, a little confused. I knew Maria got concerned but to the point of hugging me to death? There was a rustle of movement as she pulled back and I could start breathing normally. Faintly I heard a soft hissing noise of a Greepo chuckling.

"What the hell were you thinking?" Maria hissed at me. I blinked slowly, trying to make sense of the three emotions on Maria's face. Concern, which I had expected; relief, another expected thing; and anger. Now why the hell was she angry? "You could have been killed!"

"I didn't know it was going to explode." The answer came unbidden to my lips. Wait explode? Oh the brain, that. Yah okay, think you idiot! I reached up to hit myself on the head again.

"No you're not doing that again," Maria snapped, catching my hand. I blinked in shock. How had she done that? No one was fast enough to catch my hand when I was about to hit myself! "You nearly gave yourself a concussion the last time." Oh yah…

"I would have healed." Oh real smart Corporal. You really need to work on keeping your mouth shut sometimes. Maria glared at me, dragging my hand down to my side. I let her.

"Shut up and just listen. That explosion knocked you out for a full day. What the hell were you thinking?" Her face was in mine and I was reminded that she was taller than me. I blinked and rubbed my head. What had I been thinking?

"Um…I don't think I was actually," I finally answered, in a sort of small voice. Now Maria blinked in shock. "Yah. Sometimes I just act without thinking. Normally comes along with slipping."

"And what makes you slip?" Her voice was gentle which scared me in my half-awake state. Sarge liked to talk gentle when she was really mad. I rolled my shoulders, aware the stiffness was gone and that I had a new collection of scars. About thirty in all from what I could see. Ah okay now that explained Maria's presence.

"Anger is one of them. The one that set me off during the fight. The other…I don't know what it is. Sometimes I slip randomly and I'm not angry at all." I scowled as I said it. It really bugged me, not knowing what made me slip. Maria reached up a hand and gently stroked my cheek. I felt my eyes get wide. It was calming me! Then my whole body slumped as I relaxed. What?

"So you were angry?" I nodded. "Why?" Ah…why had I gotten angry?

"The screecher!" I figured out suddenly, hitting myself in the forehead. "The damn thing hid itself! Stupid fucking piece of shit…" Maria's hand on my cheek was still there, calm and gentle. Grumbling I felt the feather touch knocking my anger down a notch. I sighed and closed one eye, keeping the other open to look at Maria in an annoyed fashion. "Any other person would have been out in the hall right now. Through the wall."

"Well now I'm not any other person am I?" the Angel replied with a slight smile. I stuck out my tongue just slightly, like how cats do sometimes. Maria made a small noise, perhaps a giggle and kept stroking my cheek.

I don't know how long we stayed like that but suddenly my stomach growled. I jumped, because Maria's touch had left me in such a daze that I had thought I was going to fall asleep again. Maria jumped too, surprised. And then she laughed.

It's hard to describe such a thing as Maria's laugh. I thought she could only laugh in sick pleasure but this…this was different. Almost like rain falling; only more…crystal like? Mmm that didn't seem right. I knocked the thought from my head, glaring down at my stomach.

"Come on get changed and we'll get something to eat," Maria said, still laughing slightly. I blinked. Damn it I was in my sleeping clothes again! What the hell? I pulled at my face as I stood. "What's wrong?"

"I fall asleep in my normal clothes and wake up in the sleeping clothes," I pointed out, walking over to the dresser. Maria raised an eyebrow.

"More like you get knocked out," she jabbed. I cringed. That could be true. "Don't worry about it. I'm the one who changes you clothes not some sick pervert." I froze. Maria changed my clothes? For some reason my face was going red. "Oh come off it! You practically don't trust anyone else to touch you while you sleep. You even knocked out the medic when he tried to put stiches in your wounds that first time!" And she was laughing again. I all but banged my head against the dresser. The worst part about it was that she was telling the truth. I didn't normally let people touch me while I slept. Maria only got away with it because after having her curl up at my side so often I was used to what her scent was and what her touch felt like.

"_She lies. I'm able to touch you while you sleep," _Reckle said suddenly, surprising me. I jerked my head around to where my red friend sat on a chair.

"But you're loyal to me Reckle," I answered, rolling my eyes. "You said it yourself I was the only one able to form an accepted control. So why would you kill me?" That was always my biggest fear. That someone would kill me while I slept. I mean, all my comrades had died in battle. It sort of seemed wrong if I were to die in my sleep.

"_You can still harm me in your sleep though. It has nothing to do with loyalty girl." _

"Okay so maybe it's a matter of trust. I don't know they never covered this in training!" I heard a soft gasp behind me but it was so soft I thought I had imagined it. Grumbling about trust and training I changed, aware that yes Maria was behind me but not really giving a damn now. If she had changed my clothes before what would be the point in hiding now?

"They never covered emotion with the Angels either," Maria stated as we walked toward the mess. Reckle was flying ahead, doing tricks in the air. Show off. I tilted my head to glare up at the taller girl.

"You also were given free leisure after the Deciding Fight unless your creators thought they had an inkling of where Jo was remember?" I replied, catching the Angel. She blinked and scowled slightly. "While then I had Mark and Tracy to help with destroying the In-betweens they didn't always like co-operating with me." I had been more a solo person quite honestly. Yes I could work in a team but for some odd reason or another I seemed to do better on my own. Or with the help of a Greepo.

"I didn't use that time looking up emotions."

"Huh, I didn't think you would. But you probably had time to discover them. I know you went out and about from time to time. You were there, in NYC, when Mark and Tracy decided to kick me out of the hotel room for the first time." Maria huffed and looked away. She knew damn well I was right about that because she had ran into me as I walking the streets. To make matters worse it had been winter time then and neither one of us had a buck to spare. It was one of the many nights we had spent together like that, as getting kicked out became increasingly frequent for me and Maria seemed to have more freedom. The In-betweens didn't come after her though, surprisingly.

"Why had they done that? You never answered me about that." I sighed because I still hadn't an answer to it. Absently I rolled my shoulder, the one that had been dislocated in the fight between me and them.

"I don't know. Never bothered to ask because they were just too damn irritating. Who knows maybe they were going at it." I didn't have a problem with that no. I did however have a problem with the fact that they liked to hang back in a serious fight. Stubbornly I shook my head. They were dead now, it really shouldn't bother me. But it did because a lot of my comrades had treated me the same way. What the hell made me different than them?

"You said that it didn't bother you."

"It doesn't." I felt my eyes get wide as I came to a stop. Maria looked at me in confusion and suddenly she knew what made me stop. I had talked like they were still alive. Every now and then I did, surprising myself. Was I so unwillingly to let this go? I clutched my head and fell to my knees as her arms wrapped around me. "Damn it, damn it, damn it…" I was beating myself up inside, shaking as tears leaked out of my eyes. Thankfully this seemed to be a secluded part of the ship.

Finally my tears stopped falling. I didn't move from my position though, my face buried in Maria's shoulder. One of her arms was wrapped around my waist as the other hand stroked my head gently. Both my hands were clutching at her shirt. Dully I realized it was the same as before, when I let them out and this whole fiasco started. A sigh escaped my lips and I refrained myself from burying my face deeper into the Angel's shoulder.

Yes Maria had run into me quite often long before this. How she was in the same place we were at the time I never figured out and never bothered to ask. I wasn't supposed to piss of the Angels and reminding the girl of her time in the lab did such a thing. In all honestly I was actually glad for her company for reasons she couldn't remember. Or did she really remember them and just was waiting for me to open my big mouth?

"Come on let's get something to eat," Maria said softly, tugging me up into a standing position. I mumbled something, what I didn't know, and pulled away from her. Absently I wiped away the tears, hoping that no one would be too observant this time of day. Wait…what time was it? I glanced at my watch.

"Oh hell you only said a day," I grumbled, glaring at the device. It was reading 2100 hours. Of the next day. We had fought the damn thing about…1900 hours. Not much a difference but to me it did. Maria looked at me.

"You were," she said, reaching out and covering my watch. It was an old habit, telling me to relax. "Roughly. Don't worry about it there were no pressing issues."

"No pressing issues?"

"Eh some rivals of Sei's showed up. Nothing that we couldn't handle easily. Actually it was just mainly Jo, Meg and a bunch of those nameless guys that dealt with it." Maria's face turned red at the last bit. I blinked slightly and nodded slowly. Okay so she hadn't left my side since…since after I got through with talking to my dad. I remembered that now, nearly coming to a stop again. In six months I would be turning 25. The likelihood of anything sparking between now and then was slim to none. Dutifully walking along I shot a glance at Maria. She seemed to like me…a lot. But she also teased Jo. Was it for real? This wasn't getting me anywhere but a headache.

"_Damn my orders huh?" _I growled, shooting another glance at Maria. I didn't want to force a memory on someone, a memory that had been wiped with good cause. And I didn't want to defy orders either. But like my dad had said it could mean the matter of life or death for me. Damn it I hated this situations!

"I swear I've heard that before, but you've never talked in that language before either," Maria scowled, surprising me. My heart nearly stopped. "It's rather irritating, like the name of a person you know but can't remember." The Angel turned to me, scowl in place and desperation in her eyes. This had probably been bugging her for a long while.

"All the Demon Soldiers knew it," I answered, also stopping. We were still in secluded part of the ship I noted dully. Damn where was everyone? "Maybe you heard one of the others speaking it before." Why was I purposely saying this? Maria peered at me through narrowed eyes.

"It's likely but I doubt it. I don't remember the others saying it either. I remember _you _saying it." I shrugged. Damn it, damn it, damn it! Why was I obeying these past orders? Were they even in affect now, given the person who had spoken them was dead? Argh! "Why is that Pheonix?" Maria stepped closer to me, pushing me against the wall. Suddenly I became very aware of the smell of blood, my blood. Damn I would need a shower later. I did heal yes but that didn't stop blood from leaking out of my wounds and forming crusts.

"Uh…maybe you need to play one of the games for memory increase?" Oh that was smart. Maria blinked at me, reeling back in shock. Then she smiled.

"You're not going to make this easy are you?" I nodded. "Past orders or something like that?" I nodded again. The Angel looked surprised and then a little hurt. "Why do you follow them Pheonix? I mean, they're dead. Doesn't that cancel out the order?" She was back in my bubble, in my face but not in the bad way. More like I'm-about-to-kiss-you way. I forced myself not to show any sign of nervousness. Would she really do it?

"I never…no one ever thought we'd be discovered. Never bothered to prepare for it." Maria didn't look convinced. Okay so we had covered what to do if we were discovered which was hide and don't come out unless In-betweens were trying to destroy the world or Angels again. But not the whole issue about orders. And I don't think Sarge had been briefed either. At least she had never gave a slight hint that she had that knowledge.

"I don't believe you Pheonix." I smiled nervously.

"Didn't think you would." That's when the distance suddenly became zilch.

Maria's lips were soft and like silk against my own chapped ones. Faintly I realized they tasted like vanilla, my brain going into crash mode. My body was rigid but slowly, very slowly, started to respond. Before I could really grasp what was happening her arms were wrapped around my waist and mine around her neck. Even if my eyes were open I couldn't see because the feeling of her lips on mine demanded my full attention.

"Uh hunh," I managed to say weakly as the need for oxygen forced us to separate. My breath and Maria's was ragged, panting gasps. I felt like I had just run around the world a few thousand times. Maria said nothing; just let her forehead rest on mine. I didn't mind that actually, keeping my eyes half closed. This was intoxicating. Rather intoxicating. Now if only I could enjoy it more often and not have to worry about In-betweens trying to kill her I'd be all set.

"Mmm you taste like coffee," Maria mumbled absently, her voice soft and gentle. I couldn't think of a response. Suddenly she giggled. "Didn't think I could make you speechless Pheonix." The way she drew out my name sent a slight spark racing through my body. Ah get a grip girl before you decided to just make love to her in the hall.

"Didn't think…you were…serious with…your concern." I could not for the life of me get my breath back. Maria blinked and looked a little hurt. Ah great what had I done now? Idiot.

"What do you mean?" Even her voice sounded hurt. I didn't want that. The answer rose to my lips unbidden.

"You…teased Jo…about sex…and all…too." I couldn't lift my head nor remove my arms from her neck. There was a blink and then she was laughing again. Mmm I loved that laugh. Still couldn't place what it was like though. Maybe there was nothing to compare it too.

"She was only ever interested in doing Meg though." I nodded absently in agreement and contemplated drawing her back in for another kiss. I think I gave some sort of sign to my thoughts because next I knew she was smiling and drawing closer again.

"Mmmmm." This time I moaned into the feeling, a little surprised at myself. I wasn't one to normally show anything other than anger and the military perfection drilled into me. That wasn't counting my slips of course. Maria smiled I think and shifted slightly, pressing her lips against mine harder. The result was our kiss was deepened and I felt the spark in my heart turn to a low flame. One of my hands absently crept upward to the where her neck met her skull and tangled itself in her hair. That prompted a small gasp from the Angel I held in my arms. Or did she hold me? Didn't really matter at this point.

"_Aaaannnndddd this is lovely," _Reckle suddenly said, ruining the moment. I pulled back to glower at my red friend but Maria had beat me too it. Had the rascal projected the thought? Didn't really matter at this point, I was slightly annoyed with him now. _"You're hungry, I'm hungry, Maria's hungry. Get a move on." _I scowled.

"Kill joy," I muttered, causing Maria to laugh again. She pulled away from me entirely now, lacing her fingers through mine. I started a little, not used to the whole hand holding thing but went along with it. It was actually kind of nice. With Reckle flying ahead of us, sniggering the little riot, we started headed for the mess hall again. A few moments later I moved closer to the Angel and rested my head on her shoulder. Mmm okay that felt better. Maria gave me a pleased smile.

"Oh you're not going anywhere without me anymore," Maria stated as we walked into the mess hall. I nodded absently with agreement. "Unless it's for like the bathroom or something. That's just a little weird." I laughed, nodding in agreement. My laugh caught the attention of Meg who nudged a half-asleep Jo. The taller Angel's head came up off the table and she blinked dully at us. Maria was beaming beside me, I could feel it. Jo blinked again, yawned and put her head back onto the table.

"Still going to throw the book at her," she mumbled tiredly. What book damn it?


	13. Sarge?

**A/N I don't own Burst Angel**

* * *

"So you're saying that someone else entered the place?" Sei's voice said to me over the speaker. I sighed and rubbed my face. After convincing Maria that I wasn't going to get myself killed again I had been able to retrieve my camera. The lights were on when I arrived but snapped off as I had started walking away.

"Yah not even a minute ago," I answered softly, hiding behind a corner. Growling I started fiddling with the camera. "Amy this thing sends out a signal if I set it to do so. Start scanning for it and it'll pick up."

"Sure thing Corporal," the computer girl replied. I heard her fast paced typing in the background. "And here we go. What do you plan on doing?" I hit another button and the wheels popped out. Like any other day I wore the control device on my wrist.

"When I built this I had a few different scenarios in mind. One was where I had been caught behind enemy lines and no way of knowing the position of the guards. So I made this thing have wheels and just about any camera you could think of." I tapped at the screen and saw that each of the different versions was working. Gently I eased the joystick forward, watching the camera respond. It rolled forward silently, the motors contained in soundproof boxes.

"You're gonna have to give me the schematics for this." I could hear the respect in Amy's voice. Absently I nodded, forgetting that they couldn't see that I was. Scowling I shook my head and focused on my job.

The camera was low to the ground, low enough to slip under the lasers without triggering one. Using the heat camera I guided the device toward the person. For some odd reason or another they seemed to have a higher body temperature than any other human I had seen before. It was rather teeth-on-edge setting. Eyeing the screen nervously I peeked the device around one of the boxes.

"Sarge?" The question left my lips before I could stop it. What was she doing here? Briefly I remembered her anger at Reckle's attack on Josh. Not that she could blame the Greepo for they only followed orders and never strayed.

The old Angel was kneeling next to something, something with a human shape. Josh then I supposed. The night camera was working fine and so weren't the speakers. I blinked in confusion at the soft sob that escaped my Sargent's lips.

"Sei what's going on? I'm missing something here," I stated, narrowing my eyes at the screen. As I watched Sarge gently ran her fingers along the dead man's face. Okay? Sei let out of soft, sad noise.

"They were in love." My eyes popped.

Sarge had forever said it would take a miracle for someone to win her heart. Something about her past left her wary of the feeling. I never did learn what and didn't pry either. We weren't supposed to hurt the Angels. There had been a couple of the scientists who fancied her but Sarge never gave them a chance. She was solely focused on training us I had thought then. But if that were true then she would have done the same working under Sei. Right?

"Oh." I tore my eyes away from the screen and started moving the camera away again. There was a thick silence as the device made its way back to me. Sarge had fallen for the man? He must have been something special then. I shook my head and picked up the device as it bumped into my knee. "I'm gonna cancel the signal Amy."

"Yah okay." Even the teen sounded depressed. I hit a few buttons and the signal was lost, the wheels popping back in. The screen on my wrist pad turned to static. I tucked the camera into my pocket and stood. Slowly I walked back towards the street exit. Sarge and Josh? He must have been older than I realized. I don't think my old Sarge could have dated a younger man because they just seemed to have no sense sometimes.

Maria was waiting for me at the end. She too had a sad expression on her face and squeezed my hand gently. I squeezed back. Sarge…I shook my head. I don't think Sarge's heart had been whole to begin with and now this? At least he didn't do it on purpose I suppose.

"Hey." Maria's soft voice knocked me out of my thoughts. I looked up at her as we walked toward the speeder bike I had borrowed again. "You okay?"

"Yah," I answered, looking back down. "I just never thought Sarge would develop feelings like that. She never really…" I trailed off, unsure of how to explain the woman I once knew compared to now. In many ways Sarge was still Sarge but throw in the love part and I got all confused. I shook my head and took a deep breath. "Okay maybe I'll ask her about it later. Now obviously wasn't the time. Come on I got get some stuff from the old place." We had reached the bike and I was getting on.

"Like what?" Maria wrapped her arms around my waist and put her chin on my shoulder. I smiled slightly.

"Well all my schematics are there and Amy wanted the one for the camera. Plus you either snagged my journal to read it or forgot it." Maria made a small choking noise as her face turned red. I grinned and started the engine. "Lastly all the various weapons that might be hiding in places." I had stores of weapons stashed all over that place. Maria gave me a long look.

"Perhaps we would have been better off with a truck?" I laughed and gunned the engine. Maria's grip around my waist instantly became tighter and I laughed again.

"You're crazy!"


	14. Hello I'm Alive! And There Were Others!

**A/N Vacation gives me writer's block. I don't own Burst Angel.**

* * *

"Why do you have so many weapons anyway?" Maria asked, stopping at the door. I looked around the room, filled with a variety of things, mostly a gun of sorts. Of that it was mainly a rifle of sorts, Jerichos, or the LMG version of the M60E4. That was my personal favorite of machine guns. Everyone knew of the term M60 and this was just the newest version.

"In-betweens like stealing them, I drop them some place, blows up in my face," I responded. The last had happened only once when I snagged a pistol from a shelf in a store. Seemed like the damn thing had jammed on me and then I was left blind and pissed. Absently I went through and made sure none of the guns were loaded. That would turn into something rather dangerous.

"Blow up in your face?" Maria picked up one of the knives and studied it. It was just a basic one, something I had bought at Wal-Mart.

"Mmm. Grabbed a random gun from a random store's shelf when the In-between I was fighting ate mine." That was kind of creepy when he did that. I wasn't even aware they ate. I had just thought they went around being sustained off the fear they emitted.

"I would have expected it to actually work." I shrugged. It had been a pawn shop so… "How many of these rooms are there in this place and why hadn't I never noticed them?"

"About a few dozen. And the doors I had blended into the walls. The walls are made of panels of metal and so randomly in pattern there are some panels that are actually doors." I started putting some of the weapons into cases. I didn't have that many weapons; they could all fit into the moving truck down in the garage. And there'd still be room for the bike too.

"Randomly in pattern?" Maria whispered, directly into my ear. Her arms went around my shoulders, tugging me close. I smiled slightly and tilted my head back.

"Meaning random to anyone but me," I answered with a slight grin. Maria shook her head and kissed my forehead. My grin got a little wider as I turned around. The Angel holding me said nothing as I laced my fingers behind her head and pushed down a little. Our lips touched again, with me standing on my toes to deepen the kiss. Maria's body shook a little as she laughed and pulled me closer. Even though I wanted to be mad, even just a little, I couldn't.

I wasn't even aware of the hands sliding down my back but suddenly they were under my shirt, against my skin. A gasp escaped my lips as Maria's fingertips brushed over one of the larger scars. It had been caused…by a whip I think. Yes that one had been a whip, when I had been captured a long time ago. The event was written down somewhere in a journal which my capturers had been so nice to provide.

"Is there a part of you that isn't scarred?" Maria asked, pulling back. Concern laced her voice and caused her eyes to flash. I put my head against her shoulder.

"I don't think so," I answered softly. I didn't want to scare her. Her grip around my waist tightened. "Maybe somewhere hiding under my hair but you couldn't tell then." Even my neck was covered with scars. The largest one I had nearly died from too.

"Not even the bottom of your feet?" The concern was still there, hiding underneath the teasing tone. I smiled at the attempt and shook my head.

"Running bare foot through cactus is painful." Maria made a small choking noise and pulled me even closer. I ended up with my head against her chest, listening to her heartbeat. It was actually rather soothing this close, directly in my ear. My eyes closed without me really thinking. I've never understood love and all I've ever really been told is follow instinct. And instinct right now wanted me to just stay like this for a while. I don't think Maria minded either.

"Okay no idea what I've walked into," a voice said behind Maria. In under a second I had pulled away and was holding up my Jerichos, both pointed at the door. "Hey I mean it! I got no idea what's going on!"

In the doorway stood a man about my age. He had red hair in a buzz cut style, thin frame with muscles everywhere and…milky white eyes. The man was blind? One hand was up in surrender, the other holding a flimsy backpack. Why did this guy seem familiar?

"Uh…do I have guns pointed at me 'cause if I do I'd rather much hid behind the wall again," the man said, seeming nervous. I frowned. Then it dawned on me as I noticed the tension in his shoulders and the tip of a scar on the man's shoulder.

"Shit Tommy give a fucking warning next time," I snarled, holstering my weapons. Maria looked at me as the man blinked and then grinned.

"Well not exactly like I can see you P," Tommy replied, relaxing. I made a small growling noise. "What the hell girl? I ain't seen you since the ambush. I thought you were dead. Hell everyone did." I froze. Everyone? There had been more other than me and the rest? What was he talking about?

"What the hell do you mean Tommy? As far as I knew it was only me, Mark, Tracy, Greg, and Robin that got out alive. We got Sarge too." Tommy's face fell as he walked in and grasped my shoulder.

"They captured the ones who were left at camp. We kept saying that you wouldn't leave us. Our capturers said the ones who had been coming back were all dead." I blinked slowly. Ones left at camp? I knew some had been left but how many I wasn't sure of. Captured? Who the hell? My heart plummeted.

"The In-between creators." Tommy nodded. I bowed my head, trying to cap my anger before I slipped. I had thought about the ones left at camp, in the very beginning. I had thought that they might have been captured. The other four shot the idea down. "Are there any left?"

"Three years ago yes. I don't know anymore. I hope like hell there's still someone alive." Tommy let go of my shoulder and backed off as my anger spiked higher. Three years ago I had been running around keeping In-betweens away from here. That put it about…at least over five years those others had been kept. My feet twisted me out of the room.

"Where you going?" Maria asked, trying to stop me. I glared over her shoulder.

"Somewhere, anywhere, don't get in my way," I replied, snarling. The Angel looked a little hurt but understanding danced through her eyes as she stepped to the side. I didn't really think I was just moving again. A familiar fire was dancing through my veins. I was slipping and bad this time. A blink and everything was coated in red. Oh yah I had lost it.

**Switch**

Tommy listened to his sister tear down the hall, her heart going erratic. She was pissed, for some reason he didn't know right now, and not being able to control it. The man sighed, shaking his head, moving over to the girl that had spoken up just moments before.

"I'm Tommy," he said, holding out his hand and hoping he didn't hit the girl. "I'm blind so if I'm three feet away from you then it's because I can't see you." Maria blinked slowly at the man. Although his tone was light his face was sad.

"Maria," the Angel replied, grasping Tommy's hand. He actually wasn't that far off. In the distance there was an angered scream. Maria flinched and shot a glance down the hall. "What's going on?"

"P's pissed off. Are you one of the Angels?" Tommy motioned that the girl beside him should lead the way to wherever Pheonix had gone. Maria hesitated, trying to figure out where the Soldier would have gone.

"Of course. What gave you the clue?" If there was any place to cool off for Pheonix it would be the gym or the shooting range. And as there were no gunshots going off it was probably the gym. Tommy grinned slightly.

"We were trained not to hurt the Angels. You tried blocking her when she got mad. Any other person would have been out cold. Or dead in a mangled twisted body that you couldn't identify." Maria pulled a face.

"It could be something else right? Like love?" the Angel asked, a slight tone to her voice. Tommy frowned, tapping his chin.

"As far as I know no," he said. Maria gasped and her eyes got wide. Tommy didn't seem to notice. "During training the others didn't really seem to like her. Then one month she and a bunch of others went to go meet the Angels. She came back and a few people liked her then but she firmly said that someone already had her heart. Don't you remember that month?" Now Maria frowned. The man's words had tickled something in the back of her head.

"No…I think." The two arrived at the gym. Maria stopped dead at what she was seeing.

Pheonix was there, tearing into invisible enemies. Rage was on her face, emerald eyes tainted with blood red. Her skin was black and muscles bulged underneath her clothes. Claws had taken over her fingernails, nearly five inches long. Tommy shook his head.

"She hasn't even fully slipped," he grumbled, eyes sad. Maria looked at him questioning, wondering where she had seen something like this before. "She can make fire appear from thin air when she's lost all control. It's not the best idea to be an enemy of hers at that point. You won't live for very long afterwards."

"You said that Pheonix was part of a group that went to visit the Angels for a month?" Maria stated, more as to confirm that it was true. Tommy nodded, eyes following the angered Soldier. "I don't remember that."

"Well maybe you could read what Pheonix wrote on it. It's in one of her earlier journals." Tommy hefted the bag in his hand. Maria eyed it and took the bag. She opened it, peering at the contents.

At the bottom were at least a dozen journals, each with leaflets sticking out here and there. Each had a number on the spine, marking the year that it was written. Maria ran a hand over the first one which was the thickest of them all. Next to the journals was a stuffed bison, with a carbineer clip on it. Some money of various countries, two Jerichos with five magazines each, MREs, and a compass completed the bag's contents.

"Each of us was told to make a survival bag," Tommy explained as Maria shot a glance at him. "We were allowed to put a few things of our own in it. The journals, weapons, food, and money was a must. As far as I know that bison is the only personal object P put into hers."

"What's it from?" Tommy shook his head.

"Not sure. P never talked about it. But you can be damn sure it's in those journals." Maria said nothing, turning back to look at her Soldier. That had a nice ring to it, her Soldier. The girl was angry, but that anger was slowly bleeding away. The blackness of her skin started to melt away too. Finally it was gone, leaving an exhausted young girl with tears streaming down her face.

"Damn it," Pheonix grunted. Her knees gave way and her eyes rolled back into her head. Tommy listened as Maria shot toward the Soldier. He smiled as he heard the soft noise from the Angel catching his sister. If it was love that made it so Pheonix didn't harm the Angel more so than training than he was sure the feeling was returned.


	15. Step 2: Admit You Hate To See Them Hurt

**A/N I don't own Burst Angels.**

* * *

"Private where the hell have you been?" Sarge greeted us at the hotel. Instead of trying to get back on the ship with the truck Sei just gave us the name of a hotel that she owned…indiscreetly of course. Tommy had tumbled out of the truck, eager to get away from Maria I think. She had slipped back into that crazy, I'm-about-to-kill-you-and-enjoy-it mode. I shook my head as the man squeaked and straightened.

"Captured ma'am!" Tommy answered, blind eyes locked onto the door. Dully I noticed that the bag he had been carrying earlier was gone. Sarge's eyes were puffy and red, just barely so. You wouldn't notice it without looking for it. I pursed my lips and shut off the engine. Maria reached over and squeezed my hand.

"I think you scared him," I stated, nodding toward Tommy. Maria rose an eyebrow and shrugged.

"Oops, oh well," she answered. I chuckled and opened the door.

"When'd you get out boy?" Sarge was saying, stalking around my brother. Of the hundreds of other Soldiers Tommy had been the closest to me.

"About three years ago ma'am!" he answered, eyes still locked onto the door. Sarge scowled slightly. Any other person she would have told them they should have gotten their asses back right away. But Tommy you couldn't quite do that. He was blind, after all, and not by choice. The man had been so eager to prove himself way back then that he sped up the process of his eyes changing. His eagerness had left him blind and the most vulnerable to In-betweens.

"And where the hell was this place?" There must have been a name that he had heard. Anything. Tommy shook his head.

"They mentioned a bunch of different places Sarge. I never figured out which it was that the base was in. Some of the others with me said we were in space but there was gravity. I don't know Sarge, I honestly don't know." I raised an eyebrow. Space? My eyes shot toward the sky. Maybe. I frowned. Was there a satellite up there with gravity boosters in affect? If so I hadn't heard about it…which was a scary thought.

"I need more than that Private," Sarge snapped. Tommy's eyes widened slightly. She was in a bad mood and taking it out on the blind man. I scowled slightly.

"Sarge," I warned, eyes shooting toward Tommy. He was a character, Tommy. If you decided to take out your anger out on him he decked you. Flat out decked you. He had done it to Sarge a few times too. The older woman scowled at me then realized what she had done. Her nose was crooked because of one of his attacks.

"I still want more," she growled then stormed off into the streets. I watched her go and shook my head.

"What crawled up her ass and died?" Tommy asked, walking to my side. Maria took my hand in hers and squeezed it. I squeezed back.

"I'm not quite sure Tommy but I think it might have something to do with someone who died recently," I answered, starting to head toward the hotel. Tommy's hand went to my shoulder. Maria tensed slightly and I squeezed her hand again, reassuringly.

"A lot of people she's know have died P. What was so special about this one person?" I could hear the disbelief in his voice. Hidden beneath that was his anger. Tommy had been one of the kids who had come to us as a normal human. That was after the government took him away from an abusive father and not-caring mother.

"I think it might have been love." My voice had dropped to a whisper. Tommy made a small choking noise and shook his head. He knew more than I did that Sarge wasn't one to fall in love easily. Maybe because he was the same way. My brother didn't want to have a relationship…because he was afraid of having a kid. He was afraid of becoming like his father. And so the man had remained single, like a good load of us, but unlike the others had never talked about it either.

"You must be Corporal and Maria," the man at the desk said with a smile. Maria nodded. "Sei said you would be showing up with a friend. Here's the key to your rooms. Enjoy your stay." The man passed us two keys. I took them, wondering why we had two rooms. Then my face turned red.

"_Do I get my own room Mommy?" _Tommy teased, using our childhood language. My blush got more noticeable, not that it mattered to him. Scowling I tapped him lightly on the head.

"_Yes you idiot," _I replied, causing him to snigger. Then I smirked. _"And I suggest listening to music. Using earbuds with the volume all the way up." _I laughed as Tommy turned pale and made a face. Maria blinked at me and raised an eyebrow. I smiled back and kissed her lightly on the cheek. Standing on my tiptoes. Oh well I guess.

The two rooms were on a middle floor, tucked in a corner. Tommy said good night and headed for the room not on the corner. It was connected to ours by a door. I answered my brother and went back to staring out the window. A few moments later Maria walked over and wrapped her arms around my shoulders.

"What did you tell Tommy earlier?" she asked, a curious tone in her voice. I smirked at being reminded. It might happen it might not. I didn't quite know yet.

"He teased me about there being two rooms," I answered, leaning back into the embrace. I could feel Maria's body heat seeping into my body and soothing me. "So I teased back by saying he would need to listen to music with the volume all the way up." Maria blinked at me. A few moments later and she still had a blank look on her face. I nearly facepalmed. "And you're the one who teases people about sex and all."

"Hey!" I smiled slightly and went back to staring out the window. Countless people walked by below, mindless of the threat around them. The threat of In-betweens. I could hear them, creeping in alleys and hiding in the shadows. It was nerve racking. Why weren't they attacking or emitting the signature scent? What were they playing at?

"Eep!" Maria's lips had found my ear, nipping at it. I felt the girl smirk as the shock wore off, being replaced with…well something that sent a fire racing through my veins. It was a good fire too, not the one that marked I was losing control. A soft moan escaped my lips as her tongue traced the edge of my ear. Ah what was this feeling?

"I remember it now, that month," she whispered softly in my ear. I leaned back, my breathing a little heavy, to look at her. "The one where we first met." Oh that month. The one I wasn't supposed to bring up. "How come you never mentioned it before?"

"Orders," I answered softly. Maria scowled a little. "Believe me I wanted to tell you when you first woke up. But it probably would have put your mind set in at least four years before that. So that wouldn't have exactly worked out." Her lips found mine again and this time her tongue danced against my lips. I opened them, gasping at the sensation as her tongue explored every nook and cranny of my mouth. The fire burned hotter.

"It must have killed you then, when we met up before." I cringed slightly. I hated being reminded of getting kicked out of hotel rooms or given a perimeter I could not enter. Softly I shook my head.

"No, not as much as you think. I was sad that you didn't remember yes but I also knew you were safe and in one piece. That alone can do numbers to my tension." And that was true. For that the last few years my shoulders had been tight from more than just the In-betweens. Maria had been hurt and healing then. With my sped up ability it's rather painful to watch the achingly slow process of an Angel's healing. A soft noise escaped my Angel's lips. Ah that was nice. My Angel. Mmm yes. Meg had Jo, I had Maria.

"So how come you didn't really want me sleeping with you before?" she asked, putting her forehead against mine. I groaned. I got nightmares in a major way and usually attacked people.

"I was constantly being injured. Whenever that happens I get nightmares, in a major way. Well, more like bad memories. I didn't want to hurt you." Maria made a soft noise and stroked my cheek. I leaned into the touch.

"Silly, I calm you. You don't get nightmares while I'm at your side." I blinked. Okay I knew that by why did it still shock me? Maybe it was because Maria was legit admitting to it.

"Oh." I went back to staring out the window. The fire had died away but was still there, burning low and soft. Maria's hand kept stroking my cheek. At some point we wound up in bed, fast asleep. I remember her arms wrapped around my waist and my head resting on her shoulder. After that I couldn't tell you.


	16. Sleeping Peacefully, For Once

**A/N I don't own Burst Angel.**

* * *

Maria sighed softly, her fingers brushing against Pheonix's scarred cheek. Her Soldier was sleeping, peacefully at the moment, as moonlight danced across her skin. The dark circles around her eyes were more noticeable. A soft noise, one of worry and pain, escaped the Angel's lips as she gently traced one of the larger scars. Pheonix didn't so much as even twitch.

"_Any other person would have been out in the hall right now. Through the wall." _A sort of sad smile wormed its way onto Maria's lips. Yes Pheonix had trouble trusting people. Probably because her comrades, the other Soldiers, had barely trusted her. Well, most of them. Tommy seemed to be a different case.

Pheonix mumbled something as Maria's finger brushed over her ear. Instantly the digits retreated and the Soldier relaxed. Intrigued Maria peered closer at the black haired girl's ear. Two small points, like snake fangs, dotted the top. They looked like an older scar but it obviously had more meaning than some of the others. But if those had more meaning to them than other scars why hadn't Pheonix reacted earlier, when Maria bit the same ear?

"Maybe you don't realize how much you love me Pheonix," Maria whispered softly. The soft, light breathing of her Soldier was all the responded. Maria shook her head, a smile on her face. With the In-betweens being a constant threat it was probable. Even though she was out cold when healing the sleep probably wasn't that great either. It would explain the circles that been around her eyes for about the past year now.

"_I was constantly being injured. When that happens I get nightmares, in a major way. Well, more like bad memories. I didn't want to hurt you." _Frustratingly so that made sense. Maria had only seen the tail end of some her Soldier's memories. They were usually violent, involved screaming swears, and ended up with someone hurt. The last time it had been Meg. Before it had been Maria herself. Jo had never been bothered to wake up Pheonix.

Maria kissed the stress wrinkled forehead gently. At nearly age 25 those wrinkles shouldn't even be there. But they were and it only made the girl look older than she really was. Suddenly, a moment from that month, when she and Pheonix weren't really together, melted into Maria's brain.

"_Your birthday's coming up right?" Maria asked suddenly, staring out the window. Across the table Pheonix looked up from cleaning beneath her nails with a knife. Sharp, crystal like emerald green eyes regarded the Angel suspiciously._

"_In about a week why?" the Soldier asked. She absently started twirling the knife in her fingers, bored expression on her face. Now, most of the other Soldiers usually got excited when their birthday was mentioned. She had seen the big celebration that went on for a few. _

"_There gonna be one of those big celebrations like the others?" Maria's tone was playful and sort of suggestive. Both girls were around the age of 13 at that moment but that didn't quite click Maria' brain. _

"_No," Pheonix snorted, now throwing the knife into the air. She caught it and the weapon disappeared up her sleeve. "That's for the popular ones. I'm not exactly popular. Beside, all that's happening is I turn a year closer to 25." The girl sounded annoyed as she leaned back in her seat and followed her arms. Maria blinked at her._

"_25? What's so special about turning 25?"Now Pheonix looked out the window, a distant and slightly painful expression on her face. _

"_If I don't find my soul mate before then I'll go insane." _

Present day Maia shook her head. She hadn't been able to drag more information out of her Soldier back then and she doubted she could do so now. Pheonix didn't like talking about how she was different from the other Soldiers. And she was. Maria remembered that now. Her Soldier was stronger, quicker, smarter, and more flexibly (both physically and mentally) than the others. They seemed to despise her for that. Or rather, they had. Would those ones who were still captured, if they were still alive, treat her the same if she saved them? This wasn't getting Maria anywhere other than a headache.

"_Not sure. P never talked about it. But you can be damn sure it's in those journals." _Maria shifted slightly and grabbed the bag from under the bed. Disregarding the bison and the other stuff the Angel's fingers closed around the oldest journal. It was the thickest of them all so there was probably a lot that had gone on that year. Or maybe she just hadn't been able to write in the neat, uniform print that she now did.

"You're all military Pheonix, except when I get my hands on you," Maria teased the sleeping girl. Almost as if she had heard her Pheonix mumbled something that sounded vaguely like vanilla and twisted onto her side, facing the Angel. A light blush colored Maria's cheeks because of the position the two were now in. Maria was on her back and Pheonix's head rested on her chest. Sort of like before, when she was healing from the In-between attack, only the positions switched. Smiling at the thought Maria opened the journal. What greeted her was large messy writing that wandered between two lines on the paper. Pheonix must have been really young when she started writing then.


	17. Pillows

**A/N It's difficult to write a love scene if you've never really had a relationship before. I tried my best. I don't own Burst Angel.**

* * *

_I'm different from them, I can tell. The scientists may have created all of us but I'm still different. The others, they don't even seem to have much sense right now. Hell I don't even think they can process what I can. I can't speak with my mouth yet, my teeth haven't grown in, but my mind is ages ahead of what my body shows. _

_As I was saying I'm different from them. I'm talking about the other Demon Soldiers. They're still stuck at crying and making gestures to communicate. Me, I've stopped crying and I can write. I can write. At not even age one I'm writing. It's messy, wandering between two lines of the page, but legible. I can read it and so can't the superiors. _

_Any way, Sarge is starting my training tomorrow. She's the original Genocide Angel. We, the Demon Soldiers, were created to protect them for the In-betweens. I don't know all the details about this yet but I know I will do the job. I was created for it, like the rest of the Soldiers. There is nothing else I can or will do. And even if one day all the In-betweens are destroyed I will still fight to keep the Angels safe. That is my job. That is the job of the Demon Soldiers._

"Mulf, someone turn out the damn lights," Pheonix growled, burying her face into the pillows. Maria looked up from the journal in her hand and then closed it. The first pages didn't really make sense. She had just gotten to the part where her Soldier started to really become aware. Hiding the book back in its bag Maria turned to the black haired girl lying beside her.

"Nature turned them on love," she said, running her fingers along Pheonix's spine. A low moan, from annoyance or arousal she couldn't tell, was all the Angel received. "Come on you're usually up by now." Maria's teasing tone got the other girl to flip over.

"Mmm but usually I'm not intoxicated by the very presence of someone," Pheonix grumbled, cracking open one eye to glare at her partner. Maria smiled darkly, moving her hand to the scarred cheek. The glare died instantly as Pheonix let out another small noise. "That isn't helping you know."

"It's not supposed to." Oh this was way more interesting than trying to arouse Jo. At least Pheonix had the decency to respond. Jo just usually growled, glared, or just plain ignored her sister. Wait…were they sisters? Maria paled at the thought.

"Didn't think so." Pheonix yawned hugely as she sat up, stretching her fingers toward the ceiling. Doing so exposed a few inches of her stomach. Without really thinking about it Maria danced her fingers along the exposed skin. The Soldier jumped and gasped, her heart rate taking a drastic increase. "Ah ah ah ah….what possessed you to do that?" Maria smiled darkly again and twisted so she was effectively sitting in Pheonix's lap.

"Does there have to be a reason?" she asked in a low, suggestive voice. She was pleased to find that Pheonix couldn't respond with her mouth and ended up shaking her head. Grinning the Angel leaned in and kissed her Soldier again.

This time the kiss was more complicated as their tongues battled for dominance. The fire that had died a little last night was suddenly racing through Pheonix's body again. Giving a soft moan she let Maria have the top so to speak. Slowly the two wound up lying down again, still kissing.

"Aha you taste like vanilla," Pheonix managed to say as the two split for air. Maria smiled slightly and kissed the tender skin of her Soldier's neck. A groan drifted into the air as the girl's back arched off the bed.

"Um…I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that and leave," Tommy's voice suddenly said from the doorway connecting the two rooms. Pheonix almost threw a knife at the man but ended up using a pillow. It smacked him right in the face. "Okay leaving now! I hope they have good music!" The man shot back through the door, closing it firmly behind him.

"I forgot how annoying he can be sometimes," Pheonix growled under her breath, glaring at the closed door. The glare died in a gasp as Maria kissed the Soldier's neck again. Green eyes drifted shut as a moan filled the air. "Y-y-you really gotta stop going that."

"Nope," Maria whispered. Her breath tickled Pheonix's neck. "You just have to learn to deal with it."

"Ah I'm afraid that might be difficult." Finally regaining some of her senses Pheonix traced a pattern on Maria's back. Now the Angel gasped, the warm air washing over Pheonix's neck. "Mmm at least I know I can get back at you." Eyes flashing with mischief she leaned up and kissed Maria tenderly on the lips. "No matter what position we're in it seems I have to stretch just to kiss you on the cheek or lips." Annoyed the girl fell back onto the bed with her arms crossed over her chest. Maria giggled.

"Another thing you're going to have to deal with." With a growl Pheonix shifted, flipping the two so Maria was on her back. There was a triumphant gleam in the Soldier's eyes as she leaned down and kissed the Angel on the lips again. Maria scowled slightly but forgot her anger in the moment. Chuckling Pheonix leaned back.

"You're right I am dealing with it," she teased. Maria growled then grabbed the pillow beside her and smacked her Soldier on the head. The force of the blow knocked her off the bed with a shocked face. Pheonix rolled to where the pillow she had thrown at Tommy and grabbed. With a grin she charged back toward the bed, Maria sitting up and preparing for the strike.

In the other room Tommy pulled out the earbuds as the soft _whoomp _of a pillow hitting someone shot into his brain. Turning blind eyes to the door in confusion the man listened as the two girls laughed and fought each other with pillows. Shaking his head he turned back to the music and groaned when 'It's A Small World' came on.

"Anything but that please!"


	18. Showers, Phones, and an Embarrassed Boy

**A/N I don't own Burst Angel.**

* * *

Warm water pelted off my back as if fell out of the shower head. Closing my eyes I turned around and faced the liquid. I could feel all the dirt and blood of the past few battles running off my skin and down the drain. Whatever scars had been hidden before suddenly became visible again, even some of the new ones. I looked at a nasty one from the explosion that started on my palm and twisted around my arm a few times to my elbow. Probably a wire or something had wrapped around my arm and it had probably been on fire. Examining the scar closer I could just barely see the design of the plastic. I was too good at judging what gave me scars.

"You weren't kidding when you said there isn't a part of you unmarred," Maria said suddenly, wrapping her arms around my waist. I gasped and went for a knife that wasn't on me before realizing that it was her. With a light scowl I leaned back into her, head tilting on her shoulder.

"You really shouldn't scare me like that," I replied in annoyed tone. Maria only smiled sweetly and ran her fingers along my stomach. I moaned as my annoyance disappear and was replaced with…arousal maybe? I couldn't tell. "You know I tell you these things so I have less a chance to hurt you."

"You were trained not to hurt the Angels. And you love me." I sighed in defeat and cupped my hands under the water. Maria watched the pooling liquid. She wasn't expecting it when I splashed the water up into her face.

"Got you," I giggled, looking at her annoyed expression.

"What was the point of that? I'm already wet." I giggled again and turned around in her arms.

"From water or something else?" Maria smirked slightly at my raised eyebrow.

"Why don't you find out?" she suggested in a sexy/lustful tone, eyes flashing. I grinned and pressed my lips against hers. Maria groaned as my hand slid oh so slowly down her side. My grin got wider. She was mine, completely and utterly mine.

The phone rang.

"Damn it all to hell who calls a hotel room?!" I snapped to the empty bathroom. Maria scowled next to me before pulling away. I growled, wanting to ignore the damn thing but the problem with phones is you can't.

"We're going to finish this," she stated, stepping out of the shower. I didn't even get the chance to agree before she was gone. Sighing I grabbed one of those wimpy shampoo things and started cleaning myself up. I would have gotten to it…

I was just about to turn the water off when I heard a yelp from Maria in the other room and Tommy's shocked yell. There was a loud bang as a door was slammed shut and then my Angel was in the bathroom again. Her face was annoyed and red, eyes flashing dangerously.

"Did you forget he's blind?" I asked, turning off the water. Maria stopped and blinked. If possible her face turned even redder and she growled. I smiled and stepped out of the shower, kissing her cheek as I passed. "What did the person who called want?"

"It was Sei. She wants us back on the ship by noon," the white haired girl answered. I sighed and looked for my bag. Maria followed me, still red faced and scowling. Throwing on my pants and tank I walked over to her.

"Tommy respects women," I said, knowing without asking that was bothering her. "Besides it's not like he could see you nor had a camera. Even if he did he would never take shots like that. He knows I would kill him. Then he would have to deal with Sarge."

"I'd kill him first. Then you and Sarge could fit over what's left." I chuckled softly and snapped on my belt. The Jerichos rested comfortably on my hips, my other weapons taking up their usual positions.

"He's probably going to want to ride in the back on the way to the ship." Maria smiled darkly at that and wrapped her arms around my waist again. Somewhere in our conversation she had gotten dressed and I just hadn't noticed. I blinked slightly in surprise. I guess I didn't realize how much I loved her, if things like that could slip by me. A ruefully smile wormed its way onto my lips.

"Something wrong?" Maria whispered. I shivered as her warm breath washed over my ear. Gently I kissed her neck, earning a small gasp that sent more warm air over my ear.

"You've got me drunk. Drunk on love."


	19. A Book, A Fight, And A Sister

**A/N I don't own Burst Angel**

* * *

Tommy peeled out of the room the moment he could. He had picked the lock on the truck and jumped out the back before I could even put the damn thing in park. It wasn't the darkness that scared him, I knew. No it was the fact I had multiple weapons in the back with him and we were going on a ship. Tommy never really did good in tight areas filled with weapons on unstable ground. He was just that way.

"He moves fast for a blind man," Maria observed, watching as my brother expertly dodged around crates and people. I smiled slightly, nodding in agreement.

"When the scientists realized he was blind they set about giving him the power of echolocation," I replied, wrapping my fingers through hers. Maria raised an eyebrow and said nothing, allowing me to lead her toward the door. The nameless, never ending mass of subordinates started shifting the weapons to carts for transport to a room that in the end only myself and Sei would have access to.

"_Do you realize how rude it is to steal someone's sushi?" _Reckle asked, coming into view. I have never seen a Greepo look annoyed but that was what my red friend was doing. Slowly I blinked at him.

"What do you mean Reckle?" I replied as Jo and Meg walked in. There was a small burn mark on Meg's arm, nothing too serious. I paled, I know I did. "What the hell did you do?!"

"_Meg stole my sushi!" _Reckle was pouting. I stared at him, noting that Jo was glaring at him. Her hand was edging dangerously for the Desert Eagles that rested on her hip. An annoyed sigh escaped my lips.

"That won't be necessary Jo. Reckle will just have to learn to share."

"_I'm not in kindergarten!"_

"You're acting like it!" Maria let go of my hand and wrapped her arms around my waist. My shoulders relaxed as the warmth and…love of the gesture chased away the tension. Sighing with relief I leaned into her, glowering at Reckle. With a fiery huff he winged off, probably to get more sushi from someplace. I scowled after him and shook my head.

"Jo what the hell?!" I blinked as Maria's hand was suddenly in front of my face. Her fingers were curled around a book. The book wasn't one of those fancy published ones. Actually it looked like one of my journals only less beat up. Okay really less beat up.

"I said I was going to throw the book at her," the tomboy grumbled. Gently I pried the leather bound book from my Angel's hand and looked at it. Meg and Maria exchanged glances as I flipped open to the first page.

"Oh ha! I thought you burned this Jo!" I laughed, recognizing the writing on the page as mine. I recognized the words too. Jo shrugged and yawned.

"I came close to it a couple times. Did you have to use such big words though?" I blinked and chuckled, remembering the time I had seen Jo bent over a dictionary. She hadn't answered me then, only choosing to glare at me. I had thought it was because I was interrupting the girl of what she was doing.

"So what exactly is this book?" Meg asked, looking at the object in my hands. I closed it with a snap as Reckle flew by overhead. The little rascal huffed again and went out the door. I was willing to bet he was trying to figure out how to get into the kitchen.

"Something I wrote a long time ago, just after I had first met the Angels," I replied. I cringed slightly. In a way I had just broken my orders but it was like Maria had said. Did they really count given the person who had said them was dead?

"Just after you first met the Angels?" Meg sounded confused. Jo was frowning at me, probably trying to figure out what the hell I was talking about.

"Aye. I told you about it before Meg. When these two were getting their asses handed to them by Sarge." Recognition flickered through the red head's eyes. Jo was still probably drawing a blank if her clouded eyes were anything to go on.

Suddenly there was a klaxon alarm. My hand instantly shot for the pistol on my hip. All four of us were jumping for weapons. I looked to Meg, given she was the senior officer in a sense here. She was scowling fit to kill.

"What the hell is going on?!" Maria sounded really annoyed. I watched as the mass of subordinates ran to hatches. The frown formed on my lips.

"Sei's rivals?" I questioned, letting my hands drift off my hips. Meg blinked in surprise and nodded. I smiled slightly and ran toward my truck. Fighting a mass of people was always fun.

When I got up top Meg, Maria, and Jo were already there. Reckle was attacking the helicopters that were bringing in backup. Sei's rivals were clear, in lime green and lemon yellow uniforms. I froze, reminded violently of the In-betweens. They were there, still hiding. They were gearing up for something. I thought of Tom saying that he might have been held in space. Maybe?

_PING! _I refocused on the present as a bullet struck the ship beside me. Scowling I made sure the safeties were off my two M60E4. Then I ran lightly to where ropes connected us to the highway.

People shot at me as I ran along the rope. I scowled at them, shooting back with my Jerichos. As if balancing on a swaying rope with two M60s hanging off my sides wasn't enough trouble. From this distance I could see a black and white blur dancing through the enemies coming from behind us. Maria, wrecking havoc with her sword. A flash of pride jolted through me. That was my girlfriend.

"Black Blood form up on me!" I heard the cry and froze. Black Blood was the designation for our elite team of Soldiers. So why was one of Sei's rivals using it? Unless some jerk just thought it was a cool name. No. I recognized that voice. I recognized it too well. Joan?

"Team 5 on me!" The command tore itself from my lips before I could stop it. Instantly though there was a bunch of the subordinates around me. Team 5 I guess was something Sei used. Black Blood and Team 5 were the two best. And when a fight started between any two members of those groups there was sure to be hell.

I spotted the captain of Black Blood. It was Joan. I would recognize that girl any damn place in time. Shit she was practically my fucking sister.

"Choose a target and stick with them!" We spoke at the same time and instantly I knew that I was Joan's target. And I knew instantly too that one of us was getting knocked out. It wasn't going to be me this time.

"CRRREEEEE! Oh ho two this time! Lucky me!" I froze and turned to where the In-between was getting out of the water. There was only one other person turning with me. Joan.

"I really hate you swimmers," I growled back, trying to think of a way to get it away from the ship. There were a bunch of plans that would work but I didn't think Joan had recognized me yet.

"Sierra Bravo Alpha!" Instantly I was moving. It was a standard attack plan for getting swimmers away from the water. That was their source of strength. A quick kick up in the air from me (the swimmer looked surprised), then Joan jumped and angled her punch so it went toward the middle of the road (I was disturbed by the slight grin), and then there was me again, shooting dead in the chest with the Jericho, point blank range. Instant kill shot.

"Well that went well," Joan said, landing beside the dead In-between. She frowned at the creature's face. I looked and swore under my breath. A camera. A fucking camera. "Assholes." She pulled out her own handgun, a Glock 17, and shot the device. It wouldn't help though. Whomever was recording would probably already know. "Now. How the hell-"

"You are fucking blind sometimes," I sighed, getting off the dead body. Joan blinked at me and then grinned.

"I'm fucking blind? You're the one who walked into a wall." I scowled and fired off a shot at some idiot cocking his weapon.

"I was pushed into the wall by you. Now, which side are you on so I know if I should attack your ass or defend it." Joan blinked and looked toward the people she had come here with. Then she glanced towards Sei's group. Her eyes instantly shot toward the two Angels.

"Them two white haired girls. Them Angels?" I nodded. Joan frowned and snagged an AK47 off one of her dead men. "Let's show these rookies what happens when the commands of Black Blood and Team 5 work together." I grinned and hefted my two M60s.

"Hell ain't got a thing on us!" I started squeezing the triggers and sweeping before me. Joan ran real low out in front, almost bent over double. My feet started moving forward when she was thirty feet out. This was always a fun tactic. I shoot chest height, she shot any that might still be living. It worked wonders on crowds.

"Sarge what the hell?!" one man asked just before he got struck with a bullet. I couldn't tell if it was mine or Joan's. The girl didn't answer but she did pause. I wondered briefly how long she had been working with these men and if it would cause problems later on. On the other hand Joan was a sargent again. She had asked for a demotion the same time I did.

"Well that was refreshing. You wouldn't believe how frustrating it is to tell people a battle plan that was supposedly drilled into their head while in the middle of a fight." Joan stood up and looked at the sky. I lowered my weapons, flicking the safeties back on. There was something I wanted to ask my sister but here just wasn't the time. And Tom and Sarge needed to hear the story too.

"Come on let's go," I said, turning away. Joan blinked and nodded. She paused for a moment before ripping off certain devices. I had a feeling they were GPS encoded. Then she followed me back toward the ship and toward the Angels.


	20. A Spy?

**A/N Finally! the next chapter! It feels like forever since I've updated this story.**

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CRACK! Pheonix scowled at the fist by her head. Joan scowled right back, tugging at her hand. The former's own hand shot forward, palm out, fingers curled slightly. It cracked into Joan's chest, sending the girl backwards. From the safety of the observation room Meg watched wide eyed as the blonde picked herself up off the floor and flew toward the other girl.

"Aren't they supposed to work together?" she asked Sarge. The greying blonde sighed softly, watching her two subordinates beat each other up with the same ferocity that Jo and Maria fought with.

"If ordered to," she answered. There was a short yelp of pain from Joan as she slammed into the gym's wall. "Both girls commanded an elite squadron back in the day. They were always at a rivalry for it. But they'd have each other's back in the toughest situation." _Only Pheonix's toughest time she had to face alone. Joan wasn't there. Joan was the cause of it. Joan's supposed to be dead._

"_Where the hell were you?" _Pheonix growled softly, standing posed in the middle of the room. Apart from her slightly bent knees and loosely clenched hands it almost looked as if she was relaxing. Joan rubbed her neck slightly, wondering when her sister had gotten that much strength alone. She hadn't slipped yet, not by a long shot.

"_Recovering. I'm not exactly sure where," _the blonde replied easily. She tried to mimic the pose but couldn't. It wasn't something that they had been trained for. It was something Pheonix had developed all on her own.

"_Recovering? Recovering?! You should be dead! If not from the shot to your chest but from falling off the side of the Grand Canyon! How the hell are you even__** alive**__?!" _Joan shrugged and rolled her shoulders. Without bothering to respond she launched herself at the other Soldier, not expecting her to react in time to block the attack. Not only did Pheonix move to block the attack she made her own offensive gesture. One that knocked Joan back into the wall.

"Alright you two, I don't need you killing each other," Sarge said, flying down to the middle of the gym floor. Pheonix snapped instantly into attention while Joan tugged her arm out of the wall. She grumbled slightly, rubbing her head.

"When the hell did you get that strong P?" she asked, standing next to the older woman. The corporal's eyes narrowed at the two sergeants. Those same green eyes darted to the door as Tommy, Meg, and the Angels walked into the room.

"I've been fighting In-betweens practically non-stop for a while now," she answered softly. Her voice still held a small amount of anger and disbelief. Maria caught that and pulled her Soldier to her protectively. Joan raised an eyebrow but said nothing. Then Reckle decided to dive bomb her.

"ARGH! What the hell Dex?!" Reckle huffed, spitting a small a small amount of fire at the girl. Scowling she smothered the flame on her sleeve and glared the Greepo. "Wait you're not Dex."

"Dex was killed about eight years ago Joan. That's Reckle." Joan blinked in surprise and shook her head as the Greepo landed, eyeing her cautiously.

"_She's not whom she seems," _he warned Pheonix softly. The Soldier frowned at him and asked what he meant in her head. _"You may have not realized it but Dex left imprints of the people close to you in your mind a long time ago. I can access those imprints and compare them to now. Joan is not who she seems." _

"_So we'll keep an eye on her," _Pheonix thought back with a frown. While she didn't want to believe that the blonde was only acting like her sister the Soldier did realize any of her enemies would use the dead girl as a means to get into her life. The most likely person was Michael, the leader of the In-betweens. He had killed their creator once he had learned how to reproduce so as to have no limit on what the In-betweens could do.

_They're gearing up for something big I just know it. But what? If Tommy was held in space then we should hear something about a spacecraft coming in for a landing soon. If not then where will they come from? And when will they come?_

Across the room Joan's eyes narrowed as the other Soldier communicated telepathically with her pet. Not all the abilities of the Greepo were known and that could prove to be a problem. Sighing she could only hope she was still going undetected.

Outside in the night sky a little child watched as a shooting star streaked by.


	21. I Spy With My New Eyes

'_Oh hell they didn't mention this might happen,' _Joan thought resentfully. On the outside she appeared curious but the strange look the Greepo was giving her made her wary. _'This just messes with the entire plan. And I have no way to warn them!' _Joan fought the scowl rising to her face. She couldn't blow her cover, not yet.

The scientist Rex was in the process of injecting a liquid into Meg's arm. This liquid would change the structure of her eyes, allowing her to see an In-between in its true form. It would take three days at the least. The attack would happen in four.

"You're really okay with this?" Meg whispered. At her side Jo sighed slightly and nuzzled the red head's ear absently.

"I had to deal with Corporal protecting me for the last five years," she grunted. "I didn't like it much. However if it's you…" Meg blushed and smiled up at her Angel. She flinched a little as the needle entered her skin. Jo looked on concerned.

"Well maybe if you and Maria didn't fight so much," Pheonix grumbled, narrowing her eyes. The two Angels looked at her like she was crazy. "Forget I said anything."

"It'll take three days at least," Rex explained, stepping back. Meg nodded and pressed the small piece of gauze to her arms. "There may be some discomfort along with your eye color actually changing over the course of time it takes for the liquid to work. Was there anything else I was missing Pheonix?"

"Slight blurriness is possible but it wasn't that common," the Soldier answered in a distracted tone. Her eyes were glazed and unfocused. "That or it is and people just kept their mouth shut."

"Well that's pretty helpful!" Meg huffed, rolling down her sleeve. The black haired woman didn't even respond, a frown on her face. Reckle was still seeming to glare at Joan or at least watch her extremely closely. And he wasn't hiding it either.

'_What are they trying to do? Scare me into making a mistake? But what kind of mistake can I make? I am the best of the best! I make no mistakes!' _A small wind blew from one of the air vents. It drifted over Joan and past Pheonix. As it passed the smaller girl she stiffened, smelling the distinct order of an In-between. Her eyes danced to the direction and instantly found her sister.

'_Reckle it's a great possibility you're right about Joan' _she thought with a frown. The Greepo's tail twitched. _'Why else would she be carrying the scent of In-betweens? I'd know it anywhere. We need a way to watch her, without being obvious.'_

The group was breaking up. Meg and Jo were headed off…somewhere to do…something. No one was exactly sure what and no one wanted to make any suggestions with Jo still in ear shot. Unless of course you were a Genocide Angel and stood a chance against her. But Maria was too busy watching her own girlfriend to care.

"Something wrong?" she whispered softly. Pheonix gave a slight shake of her head, eyes dancing to the many people still in the room, Joan being one of them. Maria gained an annoyed expression but her eyes told she understood. The two started to leave. Reckle followed until just around the corner then shrank in size and doubled back to follow Joan.

The blonde Soldier moved quickly and swiftly through the ship. As she walked she messed with her arm. Reckle, now about the same size as a fly, landed on her shoulder and hide under her collar. He watched as the woman unveiled a robotic limb with a screen. The screen displayed blueprints of the ship and a heat scanner. She panned in to the side slightly, almost as if looking for people following her. Finding no heat sources reassured the woman. Reckle wished he could chuckle but he needed to be quiet.

As the ship went about its normal daily functions Joan slipped into each of the ammo holds. She planted boxes that looked like ammo rounds but were indeed bombs deep in the holds. The Greepo started passing the data to his master. Up in her room Pheonix grabbed a paper and started drawing what she was seeing. Maria watched on with curiosity.

"Ammo holds?" she stated quizzically. The Soldier nodded. "In the ship?" Pheonix nodded again. "We should tell Sei."

"We can't," she stated, shaking her head. "If we act now it'll scare them off."

"Who off?"

"The In-betweens that Joan's working for."


	22. Black Blood

**A/N Wow it's been a while. I don't own Burst Angel. Enjoy.**

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"Last bomb done with," a voice over the radio informed. Pheonix nodded and checked if off on her drawing.

"Alright guys bring it in. Discreetly," she ordered. Conformation replies came from each of the small two man teams. This was Black Blood. The team Sarge had started training and was leaving Pheonix to finish. There was just some things she knew that others didn't. It was the same with Joan and Team 5.

Maria watched from the side. Seeing these teams work reminded her of when the Soldiers had come for a visit. Most of them followed her Soldier's orders when those In-betweens attacked. The others just sort of fought back, but as a team themselves. The Angel realized with a jolt Joan hadn't been there and those members had probably been Team 5.

"Team 1 reporting in."

"Team 1 confirmed."

"Team 2 reporting in."

"Team 2 confirmed." Pheonix felt her eye twitch. She really hated this part, when all the teams had to report they had made it back safely. But it was necessary, especially when there was a known spy amongst them. Thankfully Joan was a sucker for chess and Amy was a damn good player.

"Team 7 reporting in."

"Team 7 confirmed. Good work boys." Breathing out her held breath the Soldier leaned back. Reckle was informing her via telepathy Amy was kicking ass for a third round. That meant everything had gone smoothly. Now for the next part.

"Sei you need a new base. No don't tell me if you have one or not. It's possible they have me bugged too, with how much I've fought those bastards. How else would they know I'm here?" The black-haired woman frowned.

"There could be a spy from my rivals in here," she tried. Pheonix smiled tiredly and shook her head.

"But Joan is a spy for them. No Sei you don't. You would know by now. Some of the places you've been, some of the things you've done…Those were considered below basic in training."

"Below basic for what?"

"Set-up for assassination," Sarge answered, pushing off from the wall. She looked troubled. "I'm a little shocked that I never noticed it before."

"Your job was to train us Sarge. We were supposed to notice. I'm going to leave, on the off chance I am bugged. No Maria you can't come with me."

"Why the hell not?!"

"The In-betweens want you dead and no DNA trace left," Pheonix answered, standing up. Her eyes showed just how much she wanted the Angel along. But her training knew it to be stupid. "You and Jo." Meg stiffened and barred her teeth in a growl. "They want you dead because you are the only thing standing in the way of them taking over the entire world. We Soldiers, the most we could ever do is rebel. In order to win there would have to be a lot of us. That's no possible right now. And by the time it could be…" Pheonix shook her head. A grim silence filled the room.

"Take Black Blood with you," Sei finally said. Mint green eyes flashed. "I'll not take no for an answer. Like it's possible you're bugged it's still possible that my enemies will use this as an excuse to attack. I'll seem weak. They can't fight against the In-betweens but they can keep others off your back." The Soldier nodded once.

"Meg you're coming too. Don't glare Jo she's gonna be able to see In-betweens soon. I'll need her help. The whole fucking lot is gonna come down on us. Joan won't choose our side, she's working for them. Tommy's blind and more likely to freeze than any of us."

"He's got computer skills if I remember correctly," Sarge mused. Pheonix nodded.

"Team him up with Amy. I'd hate to be their victim." Sei nodded and the group split up. Sarge went to inform Black Blood of their new duty station (and permanent new sergeant). Jo and Maria left, probably to the gym, but not after Jo gave Meg a rather touching good-bye. Maria was still mad and stormed out of the room. Pheonix gazed sadly after her.

"Reporting in ma'am!" The fourteen voices snapped the Soldier out of her musings. She eyed the men, hiding her feelings.

"Pheonix!" Sarge threw something into the room, at the girl. She caught and looked at the rank. Three stripes. Sergeant. Reckle flew in and landed on her shoulder.

"Listen up men. We have an un-estimated time to prepare but you can be damn sure it's short. There's going to be a massive amount of enemies attacking us soon. You will not be able to fight them. They were specifically designed so normal humans are frozen in fear by a mere trace of their presence. It's most likely that none of you will survive."

"Hey wait," a voice said. Mint green eyes snapped to the speaker, glaring hard. "I thought sergeants were supposed to watch out for their men." Meg flinched at the predatory smile that erupted on Pheonix's face.

"If you are perhaps in a normal unit. Black Blood is not normal. We deal with what others don't want to and can't. This is the first rule of Black Blood. Go in thinking you will die. Fight to live. Understood?!"

"Yes Sergeant!"

"I asked if that was understood! Do all of you understand?!"

"Yes Sergeant!" the men chorused together. Pheonix prowled along the line, hands behind her back.

"Good. Now this is what you will see me in during this mission. I keep my rank as corporal to throw our enemies off. In my place Meg will seem to be the sergeant. Is that understood?!"

"Yes Sergeant!" Meg squeaked as Pheonix whirled on her. She knew it was just a sham, an act for the men. But the harsh military glare and set frown scared her more than Sarge.

"You are going to be me in this Meg. A sergeant. But for right now you are under me. You are a subordinate. So I want to hear you. Do you understand what is needed in this mission?" The Soldier had learned the quiet voice too well.

"Yes ma'am!" Another crazed smile.

"Good. Now join the ranks." The red head scrambled to do so. "The spy is going to be with us. You will treat her as one of us. I'm assuming you all know why?"

"Yes Sergeant!"

"You've been trained well. We leave at 1300 hours. Dismissed!" The men and Meg disappeared. Pheonix held up the jacket to her new uniform. It was completely black, with dark grey stitching. The same exact thing the men wore. The only difference was a fiery red badge on the opposite arm of her rank. Two letters, this time blood red, were stitched on it. DS.

_Demon Soldier where do you fly?_

_When heaven scorns you and hell locks you out?_

_Demon Soldier what do you do?_

_When your Angels abandon you?_

_Demon Soldier does your blood run black?_

_When the world's gonna end and you're the last on standing?_


End file.
